Postnatal Depression Project

Dear Mumsnetters

I am starting a project around the subject of postnatal depression (PND) and am looking for people who would be willing to contribute to it. The aim of the project is to challenge the negative beliefs that some people have of women suffering from PND. (As an example, I always thought that women with PND didn't bond with their children. I have also had family members tell my husband to leave me because perhaps I was always mad (!)). As you can gather from this, I have suffered from PND. I lost my job because of it but I am now doing a photography course to try and get myself back, which this project is a part of.

At present, I am looking for:

- Women who have suffered from postnatal depression who would be willing to be photographed.

- Women who have suffered from postnatal depression who would be willing to share their experiences of the illness,as background work to the project.

- Family or friends of people who have suffered from postnatal depression who could give their perspective of the illness and its effect on the family unit.

My initial aim would be to have a photgraphy exhibition at my local gallery, showing photographs of women in a variety of settings (not necessarily the 'classical' portrait shot) hoping to show that you cannot tell that someone has PND just by looking at them (.....so you should not be quick to make other assumptions about the illness too.....). I am also looking into doing photographs that do not neccessarily have people in them but portray how someone has felt during and after the illness (so this could include family and friends).

I hope I am getting across the fact that I want this to be something positive about the subject, showing women who have PND are not mad, and can (and do) make a recovery. I can give you my absolute assurance that anyone who contacts me will be dealt with sensitively and anything discussed between us would remain confidential unless specifically agreed. Anyone who has a photograph done with me will be offered a free print of their image and (I hope) the knowledge that they have done something positive. As I am funding the project myself, I cannot really offer anything else, other than my heartfelt thanks.

If you are interested in the project then please contact me at the following email address

info@not-what-you-think.co.uk

If you feel you would like to contribute something to the project but you don't fit into one of the categories above, then please do still contact me as you probably still have something valuable to the project.

Thank you very much in advance for anyone who is able to help.

Alison