Brooke Shields fights back against Tom Cruise

trevster2k · 07-01-2005, 03:54 PM

Brooke Shields from the OP-ED page in NY Times

London

I WAS hoping it wouldn't come to this, but after Tom Cruise's interview with Matt Lauer on the NBC show "Today" last week, I feel compelled to speak not just for myself but also for the hundreds of thousands of women who have suffered from postpartum depression. While Mr. Cruise says that Mr. Lauer and I do not "understand the history of psychiatry," I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Mr. Cruise has never suffered from postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression is caused by the hormonal shifts that occur after childbirth. During pregnancy, a woman's level of estrogen and progesterone greatly increases; then, in the first 24 hours after childbirth, the amount of these hormones rapidly drops to normal, nonpregnant levels. This change in hormone levels can lead to reactions that range from restlessness and irritability to feelings of sadness and hopelessness.

I never thought I would have postpartum depression. After two years of trying to conceive and several attempts at in vitro fertilization, I thought I would be overjoyed when my daughter, Rowan Francis, was born in the spring of 2003. But instead I felt completely overwhelmed. This baby was a stranger to me. I didn't know what to do with her. I didn't feel at all joyful. I attributed feelings of doom to simple fatigue and figured that they would eventually go away. But they didn't; in fact, they got worse.

I couldn't bear the sound of Rowan crying, and I dreaded the moments my husband would bring her to me. I wanted her to disappear. I wanted to disappear. At my lowest points, I thought of swallowing a bottle of pills or jumping out the window of my apartment.

I couldn't believe it when my doctor told me that I was suffering from postpartum depression and gave me a prescription for the antidepressant Paxil. I wasn't thrilled to be taking drugs. In fact, I prematurely stopped taking them and had a relapse that almost led me to drive my car into a wall with Rowan in the backseat. But the drugs, along with weekly therapy sessions, are what saved me - and my family.

Since writing about my experiences with the disease, I have been approached by many women who have told me their stories and thanked me for opening up about a topic that is often not discussed because of fear, shame or lack of support and information. Experts estimate that one in 10 women suffer, usually in silence, with this treatable disease. We are living in an era of so-called family values, yet because almost all of the postnatal focus is on the baby, mothers are overlooked and left behind to endure what can be very dark times.

And comments like those made by Tom Cruise are a disservice to mothers everywhere. To suggest that I was wrong to take drugs to deal with my depression, and that instead I should have taken vitamins and exercised shows an utter lack of understanding about postpartum depression and childbirth in general.

If any good can come of Mr. Cruise's ridiculous rant, let's hope that it gives much-needed attention to a serious disease. Perhaps now is the time to call on doctors, particularly obstetricians and pediatricians, to screen for postpartum depression. After all, during the first three months after childbirth, you see a pediatrician at least three times. While pediatricians are trained to take care of children, it would make sense for them to talk with new mothers, ask questions and inform them of the symptoms and treatment should they show signs of postpartum depression.

In a strange way, it was comforting to me when my obstetrician told me that my feelings of extreme despair and my suicidal thoughts were directly tied to a biochemical shift in my body. Once we admit that postpartum is a serious medical condition, then the treatment becomes more available and socially acceptable. With a doctor's care, I have since tapered off the medication, but without it, I wouldn't have become the loving parent I am today.

So, there you have it. It's not the history of psychiatry, but it is my history, personal and real.

tiny dancer · 07-01-2005, 04:00 PM

This was just on ABC News. Good going Brooke!

beli · 07-01-2005, 04:08 PM

In my teens I was a huge fan of Brooke Shields. I thought she was incredibly beautiful.

Now that we are both adults Brooke has once again become a heroine for me. Brooke is doing a tremendous job on behalf of mothers. It takes courage to come out and admit what she went through, and even more strength of character to stand her ground. I respect and admire Brooke more than ever.

indra · 07-01-2005, 08:11 PM

Very nicely put.

anitram · 07-01-2005, 09:44 PM

It's sad it's even come to this. She does not have to justify her choices to anybody, least of all Tom Cruise.

I have seen her speak about her post partum depression in an interview. She was remarkably eloquent, and did a wonderful job advocating help for so many women who have not yet sought it out.

Tom isn't good enough to hold her shit in a shovel.

Palace_Hero · 07-01-2005, 09:52 PM

Tom Cruise was right.

**KhanadaRhodes** · 07-01-2005, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Palace_Hero
Tom Cruise was right.

beli · 07-01-2005, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Palace_Hero
Tom Cruise was right.

On what account? That post partum depression can be resolved with vitamins? If so, please phone me sometime in the future when you tell that to the mother of your children. If you are not whacked in the face with a wet fish, I'll be seriously surprised.

indra · 07-01-2005, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Palace_Hero
Tom Cruise was right.

And what Shield's noted for Cruise also applies to you:

Quote:

While Mr. Cruise says that Mr. Lauer and I do not "understand the history of psychiatry," I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Mr. Cruise has never suffered from postpartum depression.

xtal · 07-01-2005, 10:51 PM

I have to laugh when I think that if Tom Cruise ever gets a woman pregnant and she goes through postpartum depression.
If he insists that she go through with it simply with vitamins and exercise...
I see her popping a Centrum "Postnatal" and throwing Tom Cruise off the 58th floor of their apartment window...

Palace_Hero · 07-01-2005, 10:54 PM

Sorry I should have elaborated.

Tom Cruise was right in proposing to Katie Holmes. It is the only thing that will keep his career afloat.

beli · 07-01-2005, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Palace_Hero
Sorry I should have elaborated.

Tom Cruise was right in proposing to Katie Holmes. It is the only thing that will keep his career afloat.

You have a point. It will be interesting to see how many big blockbusters Tom makes after War of the Worlds. I think his stock may be falling.

**KhanadaRhodes** · 07-01-2005, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Palace_Hero
Sorry I should have elaborated.

Tom Cruise was right in proposing to Katie Holmes. It is the only thing that will keep his career afloat.

well the timing was certainly convenient

Palace_Hero · 07-01-2005, 11:25 PM

Nothing like irony in the Zoo Station.

beli · 07-01-2005, 11:29 PM

myusernamehere · 07-02-2005, 03:10 AM

I

Brooke.

I highly doubt vitamins and exercise would have helped Andrea Yates.

BonosSaint · 07-02-2005, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by beli

You have the best freaking animations.

dandy · 07-02-2005, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by beli

nbcrusader · 07-02-2005, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Palace_Hero
Tom Cruise was right.

Too bad he didn't go into his solution for the ancient aliens living in his body...

indra · 07-02-2005, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nbcrusader

Too bad he didn't go into his solution for the ancient aliens living in his body...

The way he's been jumping around lately, I think they might be all trying to get out.

07-01-2005, 03:54 PM	#1
trevster2k Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 4,330 Local Time: 10:38 PM	Brooke Shields fights back against Tom Cruise Brooke Shields from the OP-ED page in NY Times London I WAS hoping it wouldn't come to this, but after Tom Cruise's interview with Matt Lauer on the NBC show "Today" last week, I feel compelled to speak not just for myself but also for the hundreds of thousands of women who have suffered from postpartum depression. While Mr. Cruise says that Mr. Lauer and I do not "understand the history of psychiatry," I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Mr. Cruise has never suffered from postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is caused by the hormonal shifts that occur after childbirth. During pregnancy, a woman's level of estrogen and progesterone greatly increases; then, in the first 24 hours after childbirth, the amount of these hormones rapidly drops to normal, nonpregnant levels. This change in hormone levels can lead to reactions that range from restlessness and irritability to feelings of sadness and hopelessness. I never thought I would have postpartum depression. After two years of trying to conceive and several attempts at in vitro fertilization, I thought I would be overjoyed when my daughter, Rowan Francis, was born in the spring of 2003. But instead I felt completely overwhelmed. This baby was a stranger to me. I didn't know what to do with her. I didn't feel at all joyful. I attributed feelings of doom to simple fatigue and figured that they would eventually go away. But they didn't; in fact, they got worse. I couldn't bear the sound of Rowan crying, and I dreaded the moments my husband would bring her to me. I wanted her to disappear. I wanted to disappear. At my lowest points, I thought of swallowing a bottle of pills or jumping out the window of my apartment. I couldn't believe it when my doctor told me that I was suffering from postpartum depression and gave me a prescription for the antidepressant Paxil. I wasn't thrilled to be taking drugs. In fact, I prematurely stopped taking them and had a relapse that almost led me to drive my car into a wall with Rowan in the backseat. But the drugs, along with weekly therapy sessions, are what saved me - and my family. Since writing about my experiences with the disease, I have been approached by many women who have told me their stories and thanked me for opening up about a topic that is often not discussed because of fear, shame or lack of support and information. Experts estimate that one in 10 women suffer, usually in silence, with this treatable disease. We are living in an era of so-called family values, yet because almost all of the postnatal focus is on the baby, mothers are overlooked and left behind to endure what can be very dark times. And comments like those made by Tom Cruise are a disservice to mothers everywhere. To suggest that I was wrong to take drugs to deal with my depression, and that instead I should have taken vitamins and exercised shows an utter lack of understanding about postpartum depression and childbirth in general. If any good can come of Mr. Cruise's ridiculous rant, let's hope that it gives much-needed attention to a serious disease. Perhaps now is the time to call on doctors, particularly obstetricians and pediatricians, to screen for postpartum depression. After all, during the first three months after childbirth, you see a pediatrician at least three times. While pediatricians are trained to take care of children, it would make sense for them to talk with new mothers, ask questions and inform them of the symptoms and treatment should they show signs of postpartum depression. In a strange way, it was comforting to me when my obstetrician told me that my feelings of extreme despair and my suicidal thoughts were directly tied to a biochemical shift in my body. Once we admit that postpartum is a serious medical condition, then the treatment becomes more available and socially acceptable. With a doctor's care, I have since tapered off the medication, but without it, I wouldn't have become the loving parent I am today. So, there you have it. It's not the history of psychiatry, but it is my history, personal and real. __________________

07-01-2005, 04:00 PM	#2
tiny dancer Blue Crack Distributor Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: small town Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 96,451 Local Time: 02:08 AM	This was just on ABC News. Good going Brooke! __________________ __________________ Into the heart of a child...

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07-01-2005, 04:08 PM	#3
beli Blue Crack Addict Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In a frock in Western Australia Posts: 15,464 Local Time: 10:08 AM	In my teens I was a huge fan of Brooke Shields. I thought she was incredibly beautiful. Now that we are both adults Brooke has once again become a heroine for me. Brooke is doing a tremendous job on behalf of mothers. It takes courage to come out and admit what she went through, and even more strength of character to stand her ground. I respect and admire Brooke more than ever.

07-01-2005, 08:11 PM	#4
indra ONE love, blood, life Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 12,689 Local Time: 10:08 PM	Very nicely put.

07-01-2005, 09:44 PM	#5
anitram Blue Crack Addict Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: NY Posts: 18,792 Local Time: 09:08 PM	It's sad it's even come to this. She does not have to justify her choices to anybody, least of all Tom Cruise. I have seen her speak about her post partum depression in an interview. She was remarkably eloquent, and did a wonderful job advocating help for so many women who have not yet sought it out. Tom isn't good enough to hold her shit in a shovel.

07-01-2005, 09:52 PM	#6
Palace_Hero Refugee Note: Troll-like Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: The Morning After. Ranking: Troll of Interference. Interference Hotness Level: 3rd. Sex: Yes please. Posts: 2,098 Local Time: 09:08 AM	Tom Cruise was right.

07-01-2005, 10:51 PM	#10
xtal War Child Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: US Posts: 834 Local Time: 06:08 PM	I have to laugh when I think that if Tom Cruise ever gets a woman pregnant and she goes through postpartum depression. If he insists that she go through with it simply with vitamins and exercise... I see her popping a Centrum "Postnatal" and throwing Tom Cruise off the 58th floor of their apartment window...

07-01-2005, 10:54 PM	#11
Palace_Hero Refugee Note: Troll-like Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: The Morning After. Ranking: Troll of Interference. Interference Hotness Level: 3rd. Sex: Yes please. Posts: 2,098 Local Time: 09:08 AM	Sorry I should have elaborated. Tom Cruise was right in proposing to Katie Holmes. It is the only thing that will keep his career afloat.

07-01-2005, 11:25 PM	#14
Palace_Hero Refugee Note: Troll-like Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: The Morning After. Ranking: Troll of Interference. Interference Hotness Level: 3rd. Sex: Yes please. Posts: 2,098 Local Time: 09:08 AM	Nothing like irony in the Zoo Station.

07-01-2005, 11:29 PM	#15
beli Blue Crack Addict Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In a frock in Western Australia Posts: 15,464 Local Time: 10:08 AM

07-02-2005, 03:10 AM	#16
myusernamehere War Child Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: The question is; where are you? Posts: 768 Local Time: 09:08 PM	I Brooke. I highly doubt vitamins and exercise would have helped Andrea Yates.