How it began

Unnoticed is a project that began in order to deal with one of the many stereotypes we all fight to overthrow, mental illnesses. Mental Illnesses are hard to understand. The rarer the cases are, the harder they are. One such rare and unvisited umbrella of mental illness comes around the most celebrated period or life event.

Postpartum mood disorders are among those disorders that are often ignored or not known about. Generally predisposed to be hormonal, these mood disorders are often confused with ‘baby blues’. Approximately 80% of women go through baby blues as a way of natural adjustment into the hormonal changes in the body. Ideally, the condition fades in a few weeks. But there are many women who continue to go through this mood disorder In a much more intense and extreme manner. Postpartum Depression as well as Postpartum Psychosis are much more severe and require immediate medical intervention.

The global prevalence of these illness ranges from about 0.9% in “high-income countries”, 1.8% in “middle-income countries” and 3.2% in “lower income countries” (WHO). Statistics by WHO suggest that the highest prevalence is in the South of India with 26% for PPD and 1.8% for PPP with the least in the northern part of India with 23% and 0.9% respectively. Based on a survey I conducted among 40 new mothers together with 40 mothers who have had their baby anywhere between 6–12 moths, all women knew the term ‘mood disorder’ and ‘baby blues’. About 64% knew the term Postpartum Depression and only 12% had heard of the term Postpartum Psychosis.

As a part of my research, extensive studies across many different non-western countries like Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea and India show similarity in perspectives on postpartum care. Researchers such as Godwin and Soo(2003) agree on a few factors affecting the new mothers are loneliness, exhaustion, the partner not being around due to various reasons, dealing with post-traumatic stress, changes in mind and body among many other. But the cultural aspects in India as studied by Ushvendra Kaur Choudhry (1997) has an entirely different approach to this condition. New mothers go through ‘Postpartum rejuvenation’ that can last anywhere between 20–60 days. This rejuvenation involves various types of specificity in foods, body massages, body tightening techniques and a set of rituals and beliefs (refer to VS). Focusing specifically on Indian culture, this ritual is far more strictly followed than in any other country and can last from about 40 days to 60 days (Ushvendra Kaur Choudhry, 1997; Daoshing Ni, Jesicca Chen, 2010). The question of how it all linked up as a possible reason to become a mental illness was the most important aspect based on which the final project took shape.

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