On Tuesday last week, American father Patrick Clancy found his wife Lindsay and their three children missing in the family home.
The three children were all under the age of five and died from the injuries they sustained, writes CBS News.
32-year-old Lindsay Clancy is accused of killing the children and then trying to take her own life. Clancy, who survived the incident, had previously been open about her struggles with mental health issues after giving birth.
– This is an unimaginable, senseless tragedy, says District Attorney Tim Cruz New York Post.
May occur suddenly
The case has aroused strong emotions on social media. Women from all over the world are now showing their support for the American mother and sharing their own stories of postpartum depression and psychosis.
Researcher and professor Malin Eberhard-Gran says that postpartum psychosis can be very serious.
– It is a potentially life-threatening condition that puts both mother and child at risk. Suicidal impulses are not unusual, and aggressive impulses directed at the child do occur, says Eberhard-Gran, who is a professor of social medicine.
NATIONAL CENTRE: Eberhard-Gran works at the National Center for Women’s Health Research. Photo: Private
The condition occurs in between 60 and 100 Norwegian women each year, and often affects those with bipolar disorder.
– But after giving birth, psychosis can also occur in women who do not have a medical history that would indicate that they are in the risk zone, says Eberhard-Gran.
The symptoms can appear quite suddenly and are usually very noticeable.
– Early signs can be restlessness, agitation, irritability and insomnia. A depressive episode can easily be misinterpreted as normal depression, says Eberhard-Gran.
Several similar incidents
The professor has caught up with the tragic case in the USA and warns that postpartum psychosis can have serious consequences if you don’t get help.
– Unfortunately, there are a large number of similar incidents, says Eberhard-Gran.
In Great Britain, an incident 20 years ago left a deep mark. The British woman Daksha Emson, who was herself a psychologist, killed both herself and her child while in a state of psychosis.
– This was an incident that made people in the UK really open their eyes to the problem and change the practice completely, says Eberhard-Gran.
– A paradox
The professor believes there should be a greater focus on the mental health of pregnant women, both before and after birth.
– It is a paradox that pregnant women are followed up carefully when it comes to physical things such as blood pressure and weight gain, but are not asked systematically about mental health, says Eberhard-Gran.
Approximately 20 percent of all deaths in the maternity period are caused by suicide. This makes it one of the most common causes of death in pregnancy and childbirth.
– Based on Nordic figures, around 6,000-12,000 women have a mental disorder that requires treatment in this phase of life, says Eberhard-Gran.
This applies to everything from clinical depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders to chronic psychotic disorders and eating disorders.
– It is incredibly important to capture and help these women, says Eberhard-Gran.
The husband has forgiven his wife
Shortly after the murders in the US, a fundraiser was set up to help husband Patrick Clansy pay for hospital bills, funeral and legal assistance.
Almost a million dollars has been raised so far.
On Saturday, the husband spoke for the first time after the incident to thank for all the support and help.
– There is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for this. The shock and pain are unbearable and relentless, writes Patrick Clancy.
He also wrote that his wife had an illness and asked people to forgive her for what had happened, as he himself had already done.
– The real Lindsay was generously loving and caring towards everyone, writes Clansy.
The case is under investigation by the police.
