On Tuesday a U.S. medical panel recommended that all new and expectant mothers be screened for depression and other pregnancy-related mood disorders.
(Incidentally, postpartum depression and its related mood disorders are the No. 1 complication of pregnancy and childbirth in the U.S.)
And then New York Times best-selling author and self-proclaimed "spiritual teacher" Marianne Williamson took to her Facebook page to dismiss maternal mental illness as "normal" and "hormonal."
The postpartum depression community quickly responded and organized around the hashtag #MeditateOnThis.
Every #PPD mom doesn’t need medication. But she does need to be recognized. And helped. #meditateonthis
"These claims that screening for PPD is unnecessary and financially motivated are dangerous," Postpartum Progress Founder and CEO Katherine Stone told BuzzFeed.
Survivors of maternal mental illness shared their reactions to Williamson's statement.
With a single post, you have stigmatized sick women and sent those who were close to getting help back into a world of guilt #meditateonthis
If I hadn't sought help and meds for my perinatal mood disorder I would not be here to mother my children. #meditateonthis
The idea that meditating and prayer is *THE* way to heal is a disservice to those who pray and meditate and still suffer. #meditateonthis
And their concerns for fellow sufferers.
.@marwilliamson Untreated anxiety leads to higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, IBS, and congestive heart failure. #MeditateOnThis
Meds saved my life - but I waited so long to seek treatment I've been left with physical issues that will be lifelong #meditateonthis
Mothers need to know that it's okay to ask for help. #PPD is not normal, but it IS common. #meditateonthis
Many shared their personal stories with PPD.
@marwilliamson A #ppdsurvivor that prayed and took medication and the baby that survived! #meditateonthis
Medication saves. Screening saves. I know because I’ve lived it. Conspiracy theories save no one. #meditateonthis
#meditateonthis PP depression is a medical illness of the brain. Not a defect in the mother or in her support system.
#meditateonthis In a way, I'm jealous that @marwilliamson has this perspective. She hasn't experienced the hell so many other women have.
By Thursday morning, over 6,517 tweets had been registered on the #MeditateOnThis hashtag, with more rolling in every second.
For Williamson's part, she updated her Facebook page to express sorrow for the "many American women acquiescing so easily to Big Pharma's propaganda on this one." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
#MeditateOnThis
1 in every 7 women gets a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder like #PPD. 1 in 4 low-income women. We MUST do more. #meditateonthis