A Dance in the DSM

A Dance in the DSM: My Tango with Postpartum Depression, Anxiety, and OCD is a memoir chronicles one mother's journey through mental health struggles. It is a story of hope that mixes the humor of parenting with the horrors of developing a mental health crisis and living with the rare disorder: postpartum OCD.This memoir follows the author through the beginning of her first pregnancy (when she developed peripartum anxiety), through her postpartum experience (when she was diagnosed with postpartum OCD), and throughout her subsequent full recovery (with medication and professional help). She spares no embarrassing detail, including a first person perspective of her nervous breakdown. In an irreverent and humorous voice, Jessica highlights the lack of resources, isolation, and the pressures that new mothers face, and takes readers on her journey to health and happiness. "This book is a funny, poignant and timely wake up call to the vital issue of postpartum depression and its treatment. Jessica leads us through the onset, progression and recovery of this serious medical event, as well as the likelihood of full recovery. It also points to the difficulty of patients and their support system in separating normal "baby blues" from the more severe biological illness." -Peter Mohrer, MD, Former Instructor, Yale School of Medicine "...an engaging authorial voice" - Carol Killman Rosenberg, Writer, Editor, & Book Coach