Mom Shares Postpartum Depression Struggle to Say: "It's OK If You're Not OK"

By Alessia Santoro

Mel Watts of The Modern Mumma blog is still processing her current struggle with postpartum anxiety/depression, but decided to share it anyway with an important message to other mothers: "it's OK if you're not OK."

Watts, who recently welcomed her fourth child, Sonny, via C-section, has actually experienced postpartum depression before. Because of this, she has a good idea of what she needs to do for herself this time around, and is also seeking to send some encouraging words to other moms who may be going through a similar struggle.

"I wasn't going to share this with you all just yet. As I'm still processing it all. But I wanted to let you know that's it okay if you're not okay," she starts in a post to her blog's Facebook. "Today I walked out of Kmart mid anxiety attack looking for a bathroom and hoping to god this isn't happening to me again. The reality is, it is. And even though I'm disappointed in myself and I feel as though all the things I worked so hard for last year have come undone, I know what it felt like to be okay after my last bout of post natal anxiety. This time I'm on top of it and I'm off to get help before it becomes my life again."

Despite knowing what she needs to do to help herself based on her previous experiences, Watts admits that she tried to "push herself through" the anxiety and overwhelming feelings, but it was exhausting.

However, I'm OK. And I will be OK. This is just one of those things that can happen and unfortunately for me it's hit me quickly. Recognizing and acknowledging it is far more than what I've done in the past. I told Nolan how I felt and he asked me if I should call Martin — the psychologist I was seeing. So we came home and that's what I did: booked myself in for my first appointment for Friday.

The reason I'm telling you this is because even though my photos, my posts, and even my snaps all seem pretty normal, you actually have no idea what's going on in someone's head. Meaning there are millions of people out there who'll do anything to bring you down or someone around you. Be the person that asks the simple questions or be the person that stands up for someone. As you have no idea what's going on in someone else's world. And know it's OK not to be OK, as long you get the help you need! It doesn't work straight away but I promise it helps.