Trigger Warning: suicide, postpartum depression
Ariana Sutton experienced postpartum depression for the second time.
Now, her widower aims to alert others.
In 2018, after giving birth to their first child, daughter Melody, Ariana struggled with severe postpartum depression.
As reported by the magazine Echte Mamas, Tyler, her husband, shared that Ariana had to be hospitalized twice due to the severity of her symptoms.
In an interview with TODAY.com, Tyler expressed his concerns when they decided to have more children.
“I was very nervous […] But being a mother was the best thing in the world for Ariana. And I thought if I was careful, the second time would go well,” Tyler shared.
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Ariana had received psychological treatment previously, and her gynecologist was aware of her history with postpartum depression.
“We were both thrilled to have twins. I can’t put into words how happy she was,” said Tyler.
“There were no apparent signs that anything was wrong. Nobody suspected anything. […] I never imagined this could happen. It happened so swiftly and unexpectedly,” he added.
Upon returning from work, Tyler initially felt relieved not to find his wife in bed, beginning the most challenging time of the day for her.
Recalling a past conversation, Tyler mentioned how Ariana described feeling during her bouts of depression, where she felt overwhelmed by negative thoughts drowning out any positivity from others.
“It was as if all she could hear was that voice,” Tyler sadly remarked.
Unfortunately, Ariana’s situation did not improve. Her farewell letter to Tyler revealed her feelings of being a burden. “She was far from being a burden,” Tyler emphasized.
Prior to taking her life, Ariana pumped milk for her babies.
“All she needed was some assistance. I wish she had waited for me to come home so I could help her,” Tyler expressed in the same interview.
The widower now aims to raise awareness about postpartum depression.
While Ariana’s postpartum depression following her first pregnancy improved after therapy and medication, she regrettably chose to discontinue the antidepressants during her second pregnancy to avoid potential harm to the twins.
Specialist Dr. Angela Bianco – a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Mount Sinai Health System – highlighted that antidepressants, including SSRIs, typically do not need to be discontinued during pregnancy.
Bianco reassured TODAY by saying, “The guidance we provide to patients is very reassuring.”
Tyler is sharing his late wife’s story with the hope of prompting the medical community to prioritize mood and anxiety disorders post-childbirth.
He advocates for early education on postpartum depression and its symptoms starting from the early stages of pregnancy through conversations with gynecologists.
Now, Tyler and his three children will navigate life without their beloved Ariana.
“She was the perfect mother,” stated her husband.
How you can help: Family friends initiated a Gofundme fundraiser to assist the single father, their four-year-old daughter, and the newborn twins financially.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to the surviving family and wish them strength for the future.
We commend Tyler for bravely sharing his wife’s story amidst his grief.
If you support his initiative, we kindly ask you to share this article on Facebook to increase awareness of postpartum depression among mothers and expectant mothers.
Remember, seeking help is always an option! For instance, you can seek guidance and assistance from the Dutch Association for Suicide Prevention, or call 113 to speak with someone.
READ MORE: Father whose 3 children were killed by drunk driver commits suicide, shortly after Father’s Day
