Finding a friend who has had pp

[Zebrawhite]

How do you go about trying to meet someone else who has also gone through pp? I really think having a friend who has been through similar could really help me, but I don't know how to find someone in my area.

[AndyHenderson Volunteer]

APP has a one-to-one support service. You can find out more at app-network.org/get-help/pe...

[Zebunisa_at_APP Moderator]

Hi Zebrawhite ,

Thank you for your message. If you wanted to be connected with similar people who have gone through PP, you can email us: [e-mail]. In the email explain what you want/your situation and you will be linked with someone.

We also have support groups/cafe meet ups in a number of regions including Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sussex, Hampshire (list is endless). Some are in person and some are online. You could enquire about this when you email, to see which group is in your area.

I hope this information helps xx

[Maria_at_APP Moderator]

Hi Zebrawhite,

How are you feeling? Pp is such an isolating illness, isn't it? I remember that feeling, early in my recovery, of trying to make sense of how did this happened to me and apparently no one else that I knew off.

Finding APP and meeting virtually with someone who had pp was very life changing for me. Sadly, it is not always possible to meet in person and I feel your pain for that. You can always drop us a message here, is not only a space to ask questions, just sharing your feelings on a particular day may help with the loneliness. This is what this forum is for.

Apart from APP I have confided in a couple of friends the details of what happened to me, and I have been pleasantly surprised by their listening, their compassion and their willingness to empathise. It is not always so easy and it takes a particular character, but it is possible to bond with others who have not experienced pp first hand but have the ability to see it. An example is a friend of mine that being a matron midwife encountered cases of pp at work and has a family member who had psychosis. The similarities drew us closer together. You may be surprised, but you may find a friend living close to you that may have heard of pp or psychosis because of a family member or awareness in any other form.

I hope that things go well in the new job, very well done for getting it, it takes a lot of courage and it is such an achievement to have done so. Share whatever you feel comfortable with in your new workplace. It takes time to know new people, but everyone understands when someone is coming back from work after an absence, so lean on that. And it is also valid to tell partial truths. I disclosed to my manager at the time that I had depression as it was what was still affecting me at the time I went back to work. It is still sadly the case that people can relate more to depression and anxiety than to psychosis, but with hope in the future awareness and compassion will change that.

Take good care, like I said, write here whenever you feel like it,

Maria