31-year-old Bilyana Petrova, who was declared wanted, was found dead in Sofia. She is the mother of two children, one of whom is an infant. The case opened the topic of postpartum depression.
According to the director of the State Psychiatric Hospital ''St. Ivan Rilski'' Dr. Tsveteslava Galabova, what happened could have been prevented if many conditions had been met.
In her words, there is a stigma in society about mental illness, as well as a great lack of empathy.
"The young woman walked for hours in the top center of Sofia in a visibly inadequate condition - how come nobody stopped her, didn't ask her, didn't hold her, didn't show interest why this woman is wearing flip-flops in this cold time", commented Dr. Galabova to bTV.
In her words, emotional closeness and empathy save human lives. She is adamant that public reactions can save human lives.
„If mental health is taken a little more seriously in Bulgaria - we Bulgarians are not very convinced that our mental health is part of our health. We do not perceive it as something to pay special attention to, but to seek help if necessary. This attitude of ours shows the stigma attached to mental illness”, the expert pointed out.
„Pregnancy and childbirth are not diseases, but they are turning points in the life of a woman and the whole family. There are many difficulties for biological reasons – physiology, hormones, for psychological reasons – a new member enters the family, which are new and huge responsibilities for both parents. If we have the consciousness that we should love and support each other, that the relationship is a partnership, not a hierarchy... If medical facilities are better organized for this help... If we are more empathetic as people...&ldquo ;, pointed out Dr. Tsveteslava Galabova.
She pointed out that depressive episodes are divided into mild, tiredly severe and severe, but depressive states can also have the characteristics of psychosis.
„ We combine all this with the term postpartum depression, which manifests up to a year after birth,”, the specialist pointed out.
„When the symptoms of fatigue, disinterest, lack of pleasurable experiences, insomnia, crying for no reason, anxiety, tension, last more than two weeks, psychiatric help should definitely be sought, explained Dr. Galabova.
In her words, when a woman's family sees signs of depression, they should talk to her and try to convince her to seek a specialist.
Dr. Tsveteslava Galabova pointed out that fathers can also fall into depression after childbirth with most of the responsibilities that it brings.