Adele is sending her love to new moms everywhere, encouraging them to speak candidly about their experiences.
On Monday, she paid particular tribute to best friend Laura Dockrill, who recently wrote a brave and intimate blog post about facing postpartum psychosis — a rare but serious mental health condition that affects some women after giving birth.
The “Hello” singer shared a photo of the two friends on Instagram and encouraged other new moms to be open about what they’re dealing with.
“Mamas talk about how you’re feeling,” she wrote, “because in some cases it could save yours or someone else’s life.”
Dockrill had a baby son six months ago and named the singer as his godmother. Soon afterward, she was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis ― “the biggest challenge of her life in more ways than one,” Adele wrote.
She praised her friend for speaking out, saying Dockrill has “written the most intimate, witty, heartbreaking and articulate piece” about what she went through.
In her own blog post, Dockrill described feeling “completely terrified, lost, confused and scared for myself and my son” in the days and weeks right after his birth. She faced anxiety, delusions and severe depression. She had suicidal thoughts. She had to be hospitalized away from the baby for two weeks, during which time she said she became a “Zombie girlfriend eating apple crumble with a plastic spoon in a hospital cafeteria.”
But with proper medical care, Dockrill wrote that she is now “healed and recovering more and more each day.”
According to the U.K.’s National Health Service, postpartum psychosis usually develops during the first two weeks after giving birth and symptoms include low and manic moods, confusion and hallucinations. The NHS also states that it should be treated as a medical emergency.
After she got better, Dockrill decided to share “the bits nobody talks about” to help other new moms who may be feeling the same way.
“Social media gives a very shiny exterior of life to be frank and it’s not the full picture,” Dockrill wrote. “So I wanted to unlock some doors and be honest – I’ve been somewhere I can’t unsee and – in case there is anybody out there struggling – to open up a dialogue and say it’s ok. You are not broken.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.
