Postpartum depression, the awful reason why many mums suffer in silence.
But one mum, Tori Block wants to break the silence around postpartum depression. In an Instagram post, she shares what it was it was like suffer from postpartum depression.
It's powerful.
"This is me, at the peak of my postpartum depression," she begins.
"I asked Shiloh to take a picture of me, so I could remember how far I’d come, if I ever came out of it."
She described how her mood was extremely low, she felt that she couldn't cope.
"I was lower than low, I wasn't even myself. Looking back at this photo I remember perfectly the pain I felt, the dread in waking up everyday, the physical pain that engulfed me from thoughts in my brain.
"I had never known consuming, mind altering emotion such as this that flooded every fibre of my being, making its way through my veins like a plague."
For Block, this is what postpartum depression looked like, in all it's heartbreaking realness.
"I didn't want to leave this life, but it seemed like the only way that would rid me of the pain I was in. I didn't ask for it, it wasn't welcome."
But in the end, she managed to beat it.
"But there it was, and I kicked its f**king ass and beat it to the ground before I let it consume me, or much worse, take my life."
Other mothers have related to Block's experience.
"OMG I’ve been there and to be honest some days I am still there... The hardest time in my life and when I see pictures like that I just start crying because I literally can feel that pain. Thanks for being so true."
"This is such a strong photo. I have been there. Took me a while to admit I was suffering as I wanted to believe I was fine. But this photo was just how I felt. Thank you for sharing x"
"Thank you for sharing. I feel you. I look at your photo when I’m sad in my postpartum period to remind me I’m not alone. You are an incredible mama and human."
Such a strong photo and a heartfelt reminder to always ask for help.
