Hello. Yes, I am the ‘weird’ one.
I wrote and released my book, Having A Baby Turned Me Batshit Crazy because that’s exactly what happened.
In 2015 and again in 2018, I gave birth to our beautiful babies, who I thank God everyday for. Truly, they are gifts from heaven.
As our children were welcomed into the world, another unwanted gift emerged – depression and anxiety.
My life has been marked by bouts of anxiety, from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) to Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Over my lifetime, my brain has been in overdrive with overwhelming feelings of fear, doubt, panic and worry.
It wasn’t until much later in life – when I became a mother, in fact – when I was finally able to get to the bottom of my mental health.
Through a tumultuous journey in the mental health ‘system’, I was finally officially diagnosed and treated by professionals.
Prior to then, I always thought there was something ‘wrong’ with me.
At times, I even had people refer to me as the ‘weird’ one.
Today, after releasing my book and helping other parents through their mental health journey, I wear it as a badge of honour.
I am the ‘weird’ one. And I love it.
One thing I learnt throughout my journey is there’s a little cray-cray in each one of us.
You see, lunacy is a spectrum and everyone sits somewhere on it.
It should, therefore, come as no surprise that motherhood can hit you like a steam train.
It’s a mix of hormones, emotions, expectations, pressure mounting, tears of joy, feelings of pride, anguish, frustration and then there’s the unconditional love that actually makes your heart ache a bit.
In the beautiful and joyous journey of modern motherhood, if you’re not going crazy, you’re not doing it right.
Forget what the ‘influencers’ post on the ‘gram.
Forget the white noise coming from social media.
There is more pressure on women today than ever before before in history – and the phones we carry around have a lot to do with it.
If you’re looking for a refreshing and honest perspective on depression, anxiety and all things mental health, read my book.
It’s normal to have no idea what you are doing.
Feeling out-of-control is the new normal.
Because essentially, are we really in control?
My book, Having A Baby Turned Me Batshit Crazy, is a monument to the ups and downs of my parenting journey – free from filters.
From perinatal depression to writing birth plans, popping out a whopper with cheese and ugly-crying when news broke of a serious diagnosis in our special needs child.
Going through depression and a host of other anxiety disorders, my book is to show there is light at the end of the tunnel for all of us, no matter how hopeless things may seem.
“Am I the only one who feels this way?”
No, you’re not.
My book will help lighten the load when you’re feeling alone and helpless.
Maybe you’re sleep-deprived or maybe you find yourself in an emotional rut you just can’t shake off.
Or perhaps at times, you’re like me, feeling like you’ve had a frontal lobotomy and can’t brain your find.
While you’re one day graduate from 24/7 caretaking of babies, you will never really be normal again.
But who wants to be normal, right?
Let’s be loud and proud of our inner fruitcake – the part of ourselves that blossomed when we realised how it was possible to simultaneously be infuriated and madly in love with our babies.
My book is for every parent out there who needs a refreshing dose of honesty when it comes to modern motherhood and mental health.