Minisode 511: Women's mental health and the Lindsay Clancy story
Explicit content warning
03/03/23 • 23 min
Warning, this episode contains talk of attempted suicide and harm to children.
The Lindsay Clancy story may not have made national news, but you’ve probably seen it if you live in the eastern U.S.
Lindsay was a mother of three, who allegedly killed her three young children while suffering from postpartum psychosis. This is an absolutely unimaginable and tragic case, and one that opens up a bigger conversation about women’s mental health. As well as a personal one for me, as I struggled greatly with postpartum anxiety and some psychosis after the birth of my son in 2007.
Lindsay was being treated for her mental illness, and allegedly was on several medications. A recent article quotes an OB/GYN nurse and perinatal mental health advocate by the name of Melissa Anne DuBois, where she explains, “The rhetoric coming from the prosecution and other people in authority hazardously distort the medical complexity of this disorder. When they paint Lindsay as a monster who carried out an elaborate, premeditated murder, instead of as someone suffering from a serious mental illness that wasn’t properly treated and who subsequently had a psychotic break, it sends a message to all the struggling parents out there [that] nothing can help me.”
This episode shares Linday’s tragic story, my own personal journey here, touches on how privilege is operating here, as well as what we can do.
Warning, this episode contains talk of attempted suicide and harm to children.
The Lindsay Clancy story may not have made national news, but you’ve probably seen it if you live in the eastern U.S.
Lindsay was a mother of three, who allegedly killed her three young children while suffering from postpartum psychosis. This is an absolutely unimaginable and tragic case, and one that opens up a bigger conversation about women’s mental health. As well as a personal one for me, as I struggled greatly with postpartum anxiety and some psychosis after the birth of my son in 2007.
Lindsay was being treated for her mental illness, and allegedly was on several medications. A recent article quotes an OB/GYN nurse and perinatal mental health advocate by the name of Melissa Anne DuBois, where she explains, “The rhetoric coming from the prosecution and other people in authority hazardously distort the medical complexity of this disorder. When they paint Lindsay as a monster who carried out an elaborate, premeditated murder, instead of as someone suffering from a serious mental illness that wasn’t properly treated and who subsequently had a psychotic break, it sends a message to all the struggling parents out there [that] nothing can help me.”
This episode shares Linday’s tragic story, my own personal journey here, touches on how privilege is operating here, as well as what we can do.
Previous Episode
Episode 510: A Life in Hiding with Laura Cathcart Robbins
Laura Cathcart Robbins returns to the podcast to share her story of addiction and recovery from prescription pills. Her forthcoming Atria/Simon & Schuster memoir, STASH, comes out next month, and I am thrilled to have her back to talk about her journey.
The episode continues our current podcast theme on recovery, which features guests who have struggled with addiction in different areas of their lives. Even if you don't identify as an addict, Laura’s journey (and memoir) is a great story. I hope you tune in!
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Laura recounts her addiction to prescription pills and how it impacted her life (7:20)
- What Laura means when she says addiction is a disease of “not enough” (7:56)
- The effects of hiding your addiction from loved ones (13:33)
- Laura’s experience with “doctor shopping” as a means to satisfy her addiction to benzos (28:02)
- The point of no return; what happened when the pills ran out (43:28)
- Some of the hard truths of recovery, including the fact that “You can’t take everyone with you.”(51:08)
Next Episode
Episode 512: Anxiety, Healthy Coping Mechanisms, and Recovery with Brad Jensen
The Sober Body Builder Brad Jensen is on the show this week! Brad is a former client of mine who has a tremendous redemption story. He is the founder of Key Nutrition where he works with his clients to help them live healthy lives and understand how food and fitness can change your life for the better. In this episode Brad shares his journey of overcoming addiction and finding wellness through fitness, nutrition, and personal development.
Some of the topics we discussed include:
- Brad shares his downward spiral into addiction and later recovery, which spanned six treatment centers between 2005 and 2012 and 17 bookings in the county jail (5:37)
- “The gift of desperation often offers a moment of clarity. The gift is to be desperate enough to do something different.” (31”08)
- How Brad handles triggers today and employs better coping mechanisms following his recovery (34:57)
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