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But the truth is
that very little actual research has ever been
done into PNI and there are no definitive answers
to the questions above.
Basically medical, psychological and other
research , at least in this country and much
of the western world, depends on the funding
being made available to do it, and of course
the will to do it. Obviously funding is more
likely to be available if someone can make money
out of the research being done, perhaps in terms
of increased sales of a medication, or a certain
therapy, or in the case of individual researchers
- if they can sell their book on their research
or get a better medical or other appointment
on the strength of their research.
Unfortunately for us who suffer or have suffered
PNI there is very little mileage in PNI for
anyone , either from the point of view of more
drug sales, increased credibility or sales of
a book or a new therapy.
Books on PNI have a very limited audience,
limited to those of us who suffer PNI, our friends
and relatives and those who work with women
who suffer PNI. This is because strangely and
perhaps uniquely PNI is an illness that if you
suffer it - or your partner, close relative
or friend suffers it - you will have a burning
interest in it, often to the point of obsession
and read everything you can on the subject.
But if PNI does not happen to you or anyone
you love, you are completely indifferent to
it and find the subject not only uninteresting
but boring.
This is what I have found anyway!
In addition PNI is actually self limiting in
that all women with PNI, do get better, and
we mostly cope with it and confine the distress
of PNI within our families - we are great at
hiding PNI from everyone outside out immediate
families - so there is no great push in society
or the medical profession to fine a cure or
an effective therapy, to find out why it happens
or what can prevent it.
Why bother to put much energy or finances into
an illness that only affects us behind closed
doors? As Cara Aitken said in her book Surviving
Post Natal Depression By Cara Aiken, Publishers
Jessica Kingsley ISBN: 1853028614; 'At Home
No One Hears You Scream'!
This is of course false economy as PNI does
have an on going effect on our society, on the
very fabric of parenting itself so vital for
a successful country or nation - but an effect
that is hidden.
So most of what anyone
says about PNI, is actually just someone's opinion
not fact , even in the case of medical professionals
including perenatal consultants.
Of course if someone is working day in day
out with those with PNI, this opinion is based
on constant observation and has considerable
value. But most only work with
women at a particular stage of PNI and with
women who suffer in certain ways, so can not
speak from a holistic view of PNI.
For instance Perinatal consultants and others
who work with women in Perinatal Units and Mother
and Baby Units only know those women with PNI
when they are very acutely ill and will only
meet those women who have puerperal Psychosis
or who have very acute Post Natal Depression
or anxiety to the extent that they can no longer
function and need hospitalization and or emergency
treatment. GPs and Health Visitors on the other
hand deal with women who can manage at home
with the some support and perhaps with the help
of Anti- Depressants.
No one is yet seeing the bigger picture and
no one is doing the research that is just so
necessary!
Anyway rather than
reinvent the wheel and give yet another opinion
of what PNI is or what may help PNI
- although my views are based on over
10 years of intensely supporting women with
PNI, but like everyone else, still an opinion
not fact -
I am going to use this page instead
to give you links to information, research and
opinion about PNI, so you can make up your own
mind. I will add to this page as I find more
information on PNI.
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