h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

'If, on the other hand, you remember that there are hurting people out there, and try to say an encouraging word here and there, you'll be a force for good on this planet.' Now that's an encouraging thought.

I've got a thing about young mums and mental health. Now how do you express a theme like that? I've tried fiction and people have said the resulting story doesn't make sense. If I told the truth, I might get howled down by the 'motherhood is the most satisfying thing a woman can do' brigade. And, more important, I might hurt my son. So I conclude it's not worth the risks.

I can understand personal choices like that. Many very well-respected writers have not been welcome in their hometowns. Others waited to tell stories until their parents died, or found some form of anonymity.

From what I see and hear, I suspect that postpartum mental health symptoms are far more widespread than is generally supposed. Boy, if someone could express those experiences in a way that put the feelings of those mothers into words...

I remember as a teenager reading a book by a woman who had severe mental health issues brought on by menopause. She found herself behaving bizarrely - all due to hormonal imbalance. It helped me understand family friends, acquaintances, and even relatives.