Nurses Bili Adem and Michelle Norling are helping to raise awareness of post-natal depression. 71472 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By Alesha Capone
IF YOU are a new mother experiencing post-natal depression, you are not alone.
Mercy Mental Health psychiatric nurse Michelle Norling, together with her fellow organisers of a stall at the upcoming Streets Ahead Festival in Williamstown, will be telling people this important fact.
On Saturday, they will be raising awareness of post-natal depression at their stall, which will include a masseuse, information packs and relaxing music, as part of the Mental Health Week festival.
“Working in the mental health department, you see people at all stages of life as mental illness does not discriminate,” Ms Norling said.
“When we see new parents it is usually when things have gotten too hard and they cannot cope anymore.
“This is why we are trying to raise awareness so that mental illness can be caught/recognised earlier and they can be treated by their GP while still at home.”
Ms Norling said post-natal depression affected almost 16 per cent of women who gave birth in Australia.
“This is seen to be a happy time, people often assume women and who have babies and their families should be happy,” she said.
“The truth is often very different from this, as a new baby is a big change of life and presents many challenges.
“Encouraging people to recognise the signs and symptoms of post-natal depression and to be able to speak out and seek help is very important.”
Ms Norling said she and the other stall organisers had been busy researching and preparing for the festival and she had enjoyed “working with people from all types of backgrounds and experiences in mental health and life, to collaborate and work together on an event where we can raise awareness of an issue.”.
“It is nice to have something to present to the community at the end of it,” she said.
The Streets Ahead Festival will be on Saturday from 11am-3pm at the Commonwealth Reserve in Williamstown.
