photo provided

Ruth Rhoden Craven is shown with her husband, Joe and her son Andrew on Thanksgiving in 1999. Craven took her own life due to postpartum depression on December 5, 1999. With the mission to raise PPD awareness, the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation Moms’ Run is May 8 at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island.

The Wando High School and College of Charleston graduate was also a good student with lots of friends, remembers her mother.

“She never had a day of depression in her entire life,” said Bradford.

But all of that changed when Craven became pregnant with her son, Andrew. Bradford remembers Craven expressing “cold feet” about having her baby and she dismissed it, knowing that Craven would succeed in being a mother as she had succeeded so many times before. After all, Craven had grown up baby-sitting probably more than most teenagers and she adored children.

Craven gave birth to her son September 20, 1999. She and her husband, Joe, were living in Lexington, SC at the time. Instead of celebrating the birth of her son, Craven spiraled downwards, ending up in the hospital two times for two unsuccessful suicide attempts. She was kept in the hospital and put on 50 mg of Zoloft, which was later bumped up to 100 mg, according to her mother.

When she got out of the hospital, Bradford said, “Ruth was on the upswing.” Her psychiatrist reduced her doseage to 50 mg, Bradford later saw on her daughter’s medical records.

On a sunny afternoon on December 5, 1999, Craven took the gun her husband had given her for safety reasons out of the glove box of her car and took her own life.

Her mother remembers that she had spoken to her daughter that day and she had expressed that she was feeling okay. Her mother also said that she had spoken to a friend and her husband, who was working that day.

While Bradford saw that her daughter’s death could have been prevented, she did not have the energy to take her doctor to court.

“The large majority of doctors are clueless about treating postpartum depression. There’s still a lot of denial. They tell their patients, ‘you’ll be okay; take this medicine.”

“My daughter did not kill herself; PPD did,” said Bradford. Craven was only 33 years old.

Bradford channeled her grief into helping others, starting The Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation, along with her friends Elaine Earl and Mary Anna Mullinax in March of 2000.

The nonprofit organization which has just celebrated its tenth anniversary, has the mission to provide information and support to women suffering from postpartum depression and their families, as well as to serve as a resource to those in the medical community.

Bradford wants to inform the community that PPD is temporary and treatable, if properly diagnosed.

“PPD can strike everyone. It has nothing to do with education or character. It is strictly a biological illness that no one is immune to. No one needs to die from this,” said Bradford.

To raise PPD awareness, The Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation will host the 2010 Moms’ Run on Saturday, May 8. The Seventh Annual 5Kwalk/run begins at 8:30 a.m. and will start at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island.

Risa Mason-Cohen, a licensed psychologist and executive director of the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation, said postpartum depression can manifest as depression and/or anxiety, irrtiablity, difficulty eating and sleeping. Other problems include feeling overwhelmed, having difficulty bonding with the baby and the feeling like maybe you shouldn’t be a parent.

One particular sub-type of PPD is obsessive-compulsive type, afflicting 3 to 5 percent of women with PPD.

The obsessive-compulsive type is often accompanied by intrusive thoughts or dark thoughts that are extremely scary and disturbing to a woman, according to Mason-Cohen.

She also noted that questions like “what if I hurt my baby or what if my baby stops breathing?” are often acccompanied by compulsive behaviors like checking on the baby every two minutes or avoiding being alone with the baby.

A lot of anxiety is involved with these intrusive thoughts as well as self-deprecation. Mason-Cohen said that these women are afraid to get help.

“But those kinds of thoughts are very treatable with medication and psycho-therapy.The best treatment for PPD is a combination of medication and psycho-therapy, as well as a support group,” she continued.

Mason-Cohen, who runs the support group two times a month on the first and third Thursday night of the month at The Church of the Holy Cross on Daniel Island, said that support groups are important because they let mothers know they are not alone and it doesn’t mean they don’t love that child [if they are experiencing these intrusive thoughts.]”

Bradford believes that Craven experienced these “intrusive thoughts.”

“The illness strips the victims of who they are. They can’t remember being happy,” said Bradford describing her daughter as a very confident person who liked to be in charge. And Bradford believes that PPD hits ‘controlling” people even harder.

“They can’t go to the grocery store and make a decision of what to buy for dinner,” said her mother, remembering her daughter as a company’s comptroller who always thought to ask for others’ lunch orders when getting her own lunch.

There is a huge difference between PPD and postpartum psychosis. With psychosis, the woman is not always disturbed with the dark thoughts she is having and she has lost touch with reality.

“Just because a woman is having symptoms of PPD, it doesn’t mean she is going to get postpartum psychosis,” said Mason-Cohen.

“Eighty percent of new mothers experience irritability and the feeling of being overwhelmed. These are natural reactions to hormone changes, sleep deprivations and lifestyles in becoming a parent.”

“Whether we have the “baby blues,” or PPD, we still experience common fears. Even women with baby blues can benefit from support groups. We are here to help them and let them know they are not alone,” Mason-Cohen continued.

“Most people are afraid to seek help because of the stigma attached. PPD has become confused with psychosis. They are afraid that they will be perceived as unfit parents.”

Mason-Cohen said that women should be aware if they are experiencing symptoms of depression and/or anxiety during or after pregnancy, they should speak to their doctor as soon as possible and should never feel uncomfortable addressing these feelings with their doctor.

Anytime during pregnancy or afterwards, if a woman is feeling that something is very wrong and it is not getting better, she should never feel afraid to go back to her doctor.

Mason-Cohen expressed that it is important for obstetricians, gynecologists and physicians to recognize the symptoms of PPD and the “baby blues.”

Mount Pleasant resident Whitney Popelka suffered from PPD with all three of her children, the first born in 2001.

Popelka said, “it’s important to hear from a mom who has gone through PPD and understands the severity of the illness, has experienced the fear and hopeless which becomes the sufferer’s reality, and also has Helena Bradford and the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for PPD Awareness to thank for getting help and support when no one else understood.”

Popelka said that she had no idea what PPD was. She had no history of mental problems. She felt embarassed and did not want to tell anybody of the gloom and doom she was feeling.

“I was supposed to be happy because I had just had a baby,” said Popelka.

Popelka was able to take anti-depressants during her third trimester.

“Obviously I got over the PPD because I had two more children. There’s help out there,” she said.

The second time she was pregnant, she armed herself with information. She knew to get help and found out about Helena’s foundation.

Popelka said, “the most important message I would like for the families of the PPD sufferer to understand is by emailing or calling the foundation at no cost to them, they will find immediate relief and help. Instead of trying to rationalize with the sufferer who is not herself and only consulting her doctor(s), take advantage of the amazing group we have here in Charleston who is dedicated to offering hope and solutions. You will be literally saving the mom’s life and avoiding months and years of unnecessary suffering by the entire family.”

Popelka’s PPD did not stop with her second child. In fact she said it was the worst with her third child. Although painful, she again sought support from the foundation and the necessary resources she would need.

“It was just this feeling of not being able to remember life being fun, this utter hopelessness,” said Popelka, who could not remember being happy.

But with a therapist who specialized in PPD, medication and the support group, Popelka was able to be happy again.

Race coordinator Angie Mizzell, said the Moms’ Run is for the whole family.

“The woman is not the only one who suffers from PPD; it affects the entire family,” said Mizell, mother of two boys.

Although Mizzell did not experience PPD, she knows how hard that first year is and the experiences of the ups and downs.

“The sleep deprivation and the hormone imbalance is there. We might be experiencing the “baby blues” but wonder if it might be something more,” said Mizzell who made it clear that she had benefitted greatly from a network of support from moms. She feels it is important that mothers aren’t suffering silently.

“Helena is so rare and we are so blessed to have the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation here,” said Popelka, who added that Helena was always accessible by phone or e-mail when she needed her support and encouragement.

Race registration is $25, $10 for children 12 and under. Strollers are welcome. Visit www.ppdsupport.org for more information.

Postpartum depression is defined as the emotional and physical reactions occurring any time within the first year after the birth of a baby and is characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, hopelessness, and discouragement.

The symptoms of postpartum depression, or PPD, include:

* Mood instability

* Weepiness

* Sadness

* Anxiety

* Lack of concentration

* Feelings of dependency

Depression and/or Anxiety

* Excessive worry or anxiety

* Irritability or short temper

* Feeling overwhelmed, difficulty making decisions

* Sad mood, feelings of guilt, phobias

* Hopelessness

* Sleep problems (often the woman cannot sleep or sleeps too much), fatigue

* Physical symptoms or complaints without apparent physical cause

* Discomfort around the baby or a lack of feeling toward the baby

* Loss of focus and concentration (may miss appointments, for example)

* Loss of interest or pleasure, lower sex drive

* Changes in appetite; significant weight loss or gain

* Suicidal thoughts

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

* Intrusive, repetitive, and persistent thoughts or mental pictures

* Thoughts often are about hurting or killing the baby not to be confused with psychotic thoughts

* Tremendous sense of horror and disgust about these thoughts (ego-alien)

* Thoughts may be accompanied by behaviors to reduce the anxiety (for example, hiding knives)

* Counting, checking, cleaning or other repetitive behaviors

* Suicidal thoughts

Panic Disorder

* Episodes of extreme anxiety

* Shortness of breath, chest pain, sensations of choking or smothering, dizziness

* Hot or cold flashes, trembling, rapid heart beat, numbness or tingling sensations

* Restlessness, agitation, or irritability

* During attack the woman may fear she is going crazy, dying or losing control

* Panic attack may wake her up

* Often no identifiable trigger for panic

* Excessive worry or fears (including fear of more panic attacks)

Psychosis

* Visual or auditory hallucinations [not the same as intrusive thoughts]

* Delusional thinking (for example, about infant’s death, denial of birth, or need to kill baby)

* Delirium and/or mania

* Suicidal thoughts

* Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

* Recurrent nightmares

* Extreme anxiety

* Reliving past traumatic events (for example, sexual, physical, emotional, and childbirth)

Used with permission from “Beyond the Blues” 2006 issue by Shoshana S. Bennett, Ph.D. and Pec Indman, Ed.D., MFT published by Moodswings Press.