Adaure Dankwa, 38, a mother from Kent, has bravely shared her story of being sectioned twice after experiencing postpartum psychosis. The condition, which affects approximately one in every 1,000 mothers, left her with violent delusions, hallucinations, and suicidal thoughts.
The First Episode
In February 2002, shortly after giving birth to her son Junior, Adaure began to exhibit strange behavior. She stopped brushing her teeth, neglected personal hygiene, and struggled to hold coherent conversations with her husband, Emmanuel, 35. 'I felt like the whole world was crumbling, and everyone was against me,' she recalled.
Her paranoia escalated, leading to nightmares about family members trying to suffocate her or attack her with knives. She began hallucinating that the world was ending. The situation came to a head when she started pushing objects off shelves, prompting Emmanuel to restrain her out of fear she might harm the baby. She was taken to A&E and subsequently sectioned, spending two months in a mental health ward without seeing her son.
During her stay, Adaure describes being 'extremely violent to staff' and repeatedly expressing a desire to kill herself. She accused her mother-in-law of poisoning her and engaged in disturbing behaviors such as defecating on the floor and fighting imaginary snakes. Doctors prescribed haloperidol, an antipsychotic medication, which gradually helped her return to reality.
Even after discharge, Adaure felt 'extremely depressed' and feared being alone with her baby. 'I was suicidal, I just wanted to jump in front of a train,' she said. It took 18 months for her to begin recuperating.
The Second Episode
Despite the risk of recurrence—which stands at 50%—Adaure and Emmanuel decided to have a second child. She gave birth to daughter Amara in October 2024. However, just six weeks later, in November 2024, the paranoia returned. Emmanuel called for help, and Adaure was admitted to a mother and baby unit.
Her violence escalated: she punched walls, bruised her knuckles, spat out medication, and banged her head against the floor until she had a seizure. She was transferred to a mental health facility in London, where she was sectioned again. 'I pulled one lady's wig off, I damaged the bed frames and pulled the curtains down,' she said. Heavily sedated, she spent another two months in the unit before being released in January 2025.
After returning home, Adaure felt suicidal again and struggled with the responsibility of caring for her children. With help from her in-laws, she slowly began to recover, finally feeling 'normal' again by October 2025. Now off medication, she is ready to return to work. She and Emmanuel have decided not to have more children due to the risk.
Support from Family
Emmanuel reflected on the challenges: 'It was a challenging experience when you have to think about your wife's wellbeing and the kids' wellbeing. I supported her through it by exercising patience and offering her the assurance that things would get better. I often used to engage her in activities to take her mind away from her condition like walks, binge watching her favourite TV shows.' He noted that the second episode was easier to manage because they knew what to expect.
Recovery and Outlook
Adaure says, 'I'm finally back to myself now. This experience has helped me to look at the world in a completely different way. It's shaped me for the better.'
What is Postpartum Psychosis?
Postpartum psychosis is a mental health illness that can affect someone soon after having a baby. It affects around 1 in 1,000 mothers after giving birth. Symptoms can include:
- Feeling very confused
- Hallucinations (hearing, seeing, smelling, or feeling things that are not there)
- Delusions (suspicions, fears, thoughts, or beliefs that are unlikely to be true)
- Mania (feeling very 'high' or overactive, talking or thinking too much or too quickly, restlessness, or losing normal inhibitions)
- A low mood (signs of depression, being withdrawn or tearful, lacking energy, loss of appetite, anxiety, agitation, or trouble sleeping)
- Sometimes a mixture of both a manic mood and a low mood, or rapidly changing moods
For more information, visit the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-partum-psychosis/
If you need support for your mental health, you can contact mental health charity Mind on 0300 123 3393 or text them on 86463. Mind can also be reached by email at info@mind.org.uk.
