05: Postpartum Depression is REALLY Real - With Baoline and Agbor Eyong

Living African

Hello listeners, as we continue our conversation on mental health to honor #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, our focus this week is on Postpartum Depression.

Postpartum Depression(PPD) is a complex mix of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes that happens after childbirth. This mental health disorder affects women AND men in our community but it seems to be under-reported due to the stereotypical outlook on those who go through it, as well as the dismissive approach our culture seems to take towards such topics.

To break this stereotype, sensitize our people, and encourage those going through this ordeal, Baoline and Agbor Eyong are here to talk about their experience with postpartum depression after the birth of their second child.

Meet Our Guest:

Baoline and Agbor Eyong are a Cameroonian couple living in the state of California, who went through one of the most trying moments of their marriage when Baoline suddenly experienced severe postpartum depression after having their second child. Join us and listen to their story, learn from them, and use the information to equip ourselves.

Contact Baoline and Agbor: [e-mail]

Things You Will Learn in This Episode:

[00:01 – 03:00] Introduction

• Introducing our guests - Baoline and Agbor Eyong

[03:00 – 25:00] Baoline Shares Her Experience With Postpartum Depression

• How it all began
• Some of the symptoms Boaline had
• Getting diagnosed with PPD
• Not knowing about PPD
• The support from friends and family

[25:00 – 45:00] Agbor Shares His Experience with Helping His Wife Fight PPD

• He was unaware of what PPD is and how serious it was getting
• His own personal experience with PPD
• The support from family and friends
• Relocating his family to California
• How he hit rock bottom
• The recovery process

[45:00 – 1:01:40] Coping Mechanisms & Lessons Learned

• You will need the support of your village
• The kids are affected by what the parents go through so talk to them about it
• Avoid negativity and cultivate positive thoughts
• Baoline and Agbor Eyong's final words
• Anyoh's final words

Tweetable Quotes

“I think the first step is talking about it. Like when you have it, share it with people. Because the bottom line is people will not know what you're going through if you don't tell them. Let them know you’re going through postpartum depression even if they're clueless because the people that I told, even though they were clueless, they were able to Google or research it, and then they knew how to help me.” - Baoline Eyong

“You need to actively make that decision to get over it. Because putting it behind or under the rug, It's just going to sit there until one day you will find yourself in a situation that will give you PTSD and it would be like a flashback; like a ‘Deja Vu, and then you'll be surprised by the way you react to it. This shows that you never really got over it.” - Anyoh Fombad

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You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).