No one yet knows what led Frances Elaine Campione to allegedly kill her two angelic daughters in Barrie on Wednesday.
Such an act sinisterly contradicts the usually powerful maternal instincts of a mother to protect her children at all costs.
Those instincts, however, can be cruelly twisted by the psychosis often associated with postpartum depression --- an affliction some believe Campione was suffering from.
Ora Laagus recently befriended the loving mother turned murder suspect.
The two had much in common.
They both had girls of the same age, and both apparently fell into dark times following the births of their children.
"I do have reasons to believe that she was suffering from some type of postpartum depression," Laagus said.
"I was diagnosed with severe postpartum depression psychosis," she adds.
"I made the decision to go to the hospital. I handed over my daughter to the doctor and I said I can't do this any more. I need help. And because of that my girls are still alive today."
Whether or not such an admission would have saved little Sophia and Serena remains a difficult-to-tackle mystery, but for those who have suffered from postpartum depression, even the idea of murder is admittedly not an unfathomable one.
"I had thoughts of harming my child," reveals Robin Whitehouse, who suffered the illness after the birth of her baby boy several years ago.
"I was so guilty. I was so ill. I was so sleep deprived and the things that you think of, you don't think straight."
Robin had to be hospitalized five times in a psychiatric ward and recalls how perilously close she came to acting on her irrational thoughts.
"I remember lying there on the bed and tears rolling down my eyes, and I would turn my head and I looked at him, and I had this thought, and I thought, 'if only he would just go away. Maybe my life would be the same again.' "
A sense of normalcy did eventually return for Robin, but not until her son Matthew was more than a year old. She says the murders of the two little girls in Barrie have brought back terrible memories.
"If it was indeed the mother that did this and if it was indeed postpartum, God help her. I can relate to her."
Her boy is now a happy 6-year-old now, and there's no one she loves more.
"He's the joy and the light of my life."
Unfortunately for those who don't seek help, that light can often be irreparably dimmed.
What causes postpartum depression?
It's not absolutely clear why some women develop it. Experts are looking into the impact of hormones and some think quick changes in hormone levels in pregnancy and delivery affect women's moods.
The Common symptoms of PPD include:
- Depressed mood or mood swings with exaggerated highs and lows.
- Uncontrolled crying and irritability.
- Loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities.
- Lack of interest in sex.
- Difficulty with memory, concentrating, and making decisions.
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation.
- Fatigue, sluggishness, and feeling exhausted.
- Changes in appetite or sleep.
- Insomnia.
- Recurrent thoughts of death/suicide.
- Intrusive unwanted thoughts.
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, especially failure at motherhood.
- Lack of interest in the baby.
- Excessive anxiety over child's health.
The treatment of PPD is highly successful but can be complicated because:
- Breast-feeding can reduce the number of treatment options available particularly regarding the use of medications.
- Women need to continue to care for an infant at a time when all her resources may be needed to look after herself. Seeking extra help from family or professional services is essential to help the mother cope and increase the opportunity for a good mother - infant bond.
The most common treatment approaches include:
- Medications to stabilize mood and treat depression.
- Psychotherapy and psychosocial supports to help the mother adjust and cope with new responsibilities and infant care.
- Hospitalization may be required to provide a safe and supportive environment for mother and child.
- Electro convulsive therapy when medications cannot be used or are not effective.
Other effective aids:
- Creating a supportive environment, which nurtures both the mother and infant and encourages mom's self-care. Ask for help from family and friends for both infant care and managing daily tasks such as cooking, shopping chores.
- Build a support network of care providers. Speak with your doctor about additional resources in your community i.e. Public Health Nurses, Home Care Service.
- Keep connected with friends. You may feel a desire to pull back and hide what is happening. Friends can add support and give you a break from the all-compelling task of providing infant care.
- Seek out the support and reassurance of other new moms by joining a self-help group.
- Seek out the support of other more experienced moms. It can help to normalize your experience. There is nothing like the wisdom of experience to help a mother cope.
- Learn as much as you can about PPD so that you can understand what is going on and plan your care and make informed treatment decisions.
What can fathers do to help?
- Encourage her to share her thoughts and feelings and show her you understand. Reassure her that she is loved and valued.
- If possible take some time from work in the early days to help with infant care and allow your partner to rest and care for herself.
- Ask family and friends to help with chores.
- Avoid minimizing or dismissing her experience. If you have concerns about how your partner is coping, go with her to the doctor and share your concerns.
- Look after your own needs. Find someone you can talk to. Being a new father is demanding for you, particularly if it is a first child. Speaking with others who have 'been there' can provide you with reassurance and support.
- Continue to participate and enjoy with personal interests and activities.
Courtesy:
Mood Disorders Association of Ontario
For more information, call
(416) 486-8046 or toll free
1-888-486-8236.