You Are Not Alone. You Are Not to Blame.
Something happens to a lot of women after having a baby, or even during pregnancy, that nobody quite prepared them for. Not the sleeplessness, not the feeding challenges, not the logistical avalanche of new parenthood. Something quieter and more disorienting than all of that.
A heaviness that doesn't lift. Anxiety that hums underneath everything. Thoughts that frighten you. A feeling of being completely disconnected from yourself, from your baby, from the life you thought you'd be living by now.
Up to 1 in 5 women experience some form of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder, what PSI calls a PMAD. And the vast majority of them go through it quietly, convinced they are the only one, or that something is fundamentally wrong with them.
Postpartum Support International exists specifically to close that gap.
What PSI Is
Founded in 1987, Postpartum Support International is a nonprofit organization with one clear mission: to promote awareness, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues related to childbearing, in every country, worldwide.
It is the largest and most established organization of its kind. Today PSI has volunteer coordinators in all 50 US states and across more than 40 countries, a professional training network, a global annual conference, and a growing suite of free resources available to any woman, anywhere, at any stage of the perinatal period.
That word "perinatal" is important. PSI's support covers the full arc: pregnancy, postpartum, pregnancy loss, and even the preconception period. The emotional weight of this season doesn't begin at delivery and it doesn't end at six weeks. PSI understands that.
What PMADs Actually Include
One of the most valuable things PSI does is expand the public understanding of what postpartum mental health actually looks like. Most women have heard of postpartum depression. Far fewer know that PMADs also include:
- Postpartum anxiety (often more common than depression, and frequently missed)
- Postpartum OCD
- Birth trauma and PTSD
- Postpartum rage
- Perinatal bipolar disorder
- Postpartum psychosis (rare, but a medical emergency when it occurs)
Recognising that what you're experiencing has a name, that it is a known, treatable condition and not a reflection of your capacity as a mother, is often the first thing that makes help feel possible.
What PSI Offers
Everything PSI provides for families is free.
HelpLine: Call or text 1-800-944-4773, available in English and Spanish. Volunteers are trained to listen, offer information, and connect you with local professional resources. PSI is clear that this is not a crisis line, for emergencies the National Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) should be the first contact. But for everything in the space between "I'm struggling" and "I need emergency help," the HelpLine is there.
Online support groups: PSI runs more than 50 free virtual support groups, meeting weekly. There are groups specifically for postpartum depression, anxiety, birth trauma, pregnancy loss, NICU parents, military families, dads, queer parents, and more. They are peer-led, structured, and available to anyone globally.
Chat with an expert: PSI offers a "Chat with an Expert" feature on their website where a trained professional answers your questions directly, no appointment, no cost.
Peer mentor program: One-to-one connection with a volunteer who has personally navigated a PMAD and come through it. Sometimes the most convincing thing anyone can hear is I felt what you're feeling, and I am okay now.
Provider directory: A searchable database of professionals trained specifically in perinatal mental health, for when you are ready to take the next step toward professional care.
Connect by PSI: Their app, available in English and Spanish, puts the support, groups, and resources in your hand.
A Note on Scope
PSI's reach is genuinely global, but the depth of its local resources varies by country. Women in the US will find the most developed network of coordinators, groups, and referrals. Women in the UK, Australia, Canada, and parts of Europe will find meaningful support. Women elsewhere can still access the helpline, the virtual groups, the provider directory, and the app.
If you are a professional working with pregnant or postpartum women, PSI also offers training and certification in perinatal mental health, which is worth knowing.
Who This Is For
Any woman who is pregnant, postpartum, or who has experienced pregnancy loss and is struggling emotionally. Also for partners, family members, and anyone supporting a woman through this period who wants to understand what she might be going through.
PSI's own words say it best:
"You are not alone. You are not to blame. With help, you will be better."
All resources are free. No referral needed.