Many thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for gifting me a digital ARC of this heartbreaking memoir by Aaisha Alvi. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!
Aaisha thought early motherhood would be happy, but it was anything but. She had scary, delusional thoughts about her and her baby. Then when she suffered a miscarriage during her second pregnancy, her psychosis returned. This time, it was much, much worse.
While this was a difficult book to read, I can only imagine how difficult it was to write. As far as we have come, mental health issues are still seen as shameful, to be hidden, and not prioritized or recognized when patients try to seek help. Postpartum issues can range from the baby blues to full blown psychosis, and this book should be a must read for all pregnant women - not to scare them, but to educate them and their families as to any troubling signs. I did feel the book was a bit repetitive, especially stating how women of color are especially vulnerable, but it was gripping. Kudos to Aaisha's support group as well!
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