A Mom Like That: A Memoir of Postpartum Psychosis

In this poignant book, Alvi, an advocate for maternal mental health care, chronicles her two experiences with postpartum psychosis. This raw memoir contains frank discussions about the ideation of dying by suicide and harming others. Alvi shows that people with postpartum psychosis are often misdiagnosed—especially people of color—and given the wrong medications and treatment plans. Alvi she experienced this herself, even after many doctor visits. She asserts that her healing was hindered and delayed by societal norms; as an Indian and Muslim woman living in the United States, she faced many health care obstacles due to bias. Alvi also describes how she helped a friend through postpartum psychosis. Postpartum psychosis often leads to tragic outcomes, but Alvi argues that it doesn’t have to. Finally, she issues a call to action to medical professionals to improve postpartum mental health care.