"You have these ideas of starting family life in a bubble of happiness. Of course, we know that labour is exhausting and that sleepless nights are to be expected. But my experience was wildly different to what I was expecting.

Immediately following the birth of my gorgeous baby girl, was one of the most terrifying, inescapable nightmares I could ever have imagined. I was in such utter pain and despair day after day that I constantly thought of walking into the sea near our home."

Please donate online now.

With your help, we can support even more women and families affected by postpartum psychosis (PP), break down stigma and raise awareness of this illness.

We won’t stop until all women and families affected by PP receive the care and support they need.

Suicide is the leading cause of direct (pregnancy-related) death for new mums in the first year after pregnancy.

Postpartum psychosis is the most severe form of postnatal mental illness. 1,400 women are diagnosed with PP each year in the UK - and 140,000 across the world - but many people have never heard of the illness until they or their loved one is affected.

Symptoms can include elation or depression, confusion, anxiety, strange beliefs, hallucinations and suicidal thoughts – and begin in the days following childbirth. PP can get worse very quickly and must be treated as a medical emergency. Most women are admitted to a specialist Mother and Baby Unit for treatment.

With the right treatment, mums with PP make a full recovery but it takes time. For women who experience PP, their partners, friends and family, it can be hard to find high quality information about the symptoms, causes and treatment.

This is where Action on Postpartum Psychosis comes in. We are the UK charity leading the world in drawing attention to this severe illness. We provide information, support and advocacy for families affected by PP, train health professionals, and facilitate research into the condition.

Our lived experience network has more than 3,300 members in the UK and throughout the world. Our award-winning peer support community saves lives and improves recovery outcomes – and is described as “life-changing” and “lifting me from the shadows of a life half lived”.

"APP is a lifeline that stopped me spiralling into depression when I was feeling like I was the only person that experienced PP. I was able to continue on my journey to recovery because they gave me hope! Great work, great people, great charity! Great things can really come from terrible circumstances. It’s all about believing you can have your life again!"

Please give what you can. Your donation will make a difference.

  • £25 could enable women and their families who have had PP to meet others at one of our café groups so they don't feel so isolated, lonely, and different.
  • £50 could help us support women on a one-to-one basis in their grief, loss, shame and confusion after PP.
  • £500 could train a new lived experience peer supporter meaning we can help and support more women and families affected by PP.
  • £4,000 runs our Peer Support Service safely and effectively for one month

Our primary partner for giving is CAF Donate or alternatively you can use JustGiving to make a donation.

If you prefer to send us a cheque please make it out to Action on Postpartum Psychosis and send to us at PO Box 137, Swansea, SA3 9BT.  Please also complete a Gift Aid form and include that too so we can claim an extra 25p for every £1 donated.