Episode Details

If you’ve ever thought, 'I’m just tired,' but deep down you think it’s more than that — this conversation is for you. Perinatal Mental Health Week isn’t about hashtags or general awareness. It’s about honesty.

Jane speaks with Julie Borninkhof, CEO of PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia), about the hidden crisis facing new parents. One in three new parents who complete PANDA’s mental-health checklist report thoughts of running away or self-harm. Yet most never say, 'I’m not coping.' 

Together they unpack why we downplay our pain, why neurodivergent mums face even higher risk, and what real support looks like — beyond 'self-care' slogans.

What You’ll Hear

• The confronting reality of PANDA’s national data — and why so many parents suffer in silence
• How unrealistic expectations and glossy 'good mum' culture stop women from seeking help
• Why perinatal depression looks different for neurodivergent mums — and how to recognise the signs
• Practical ways to check on a friend (or yourself) when you sense something’s not right
• The truth about the word failure — and how PANDA reframes it into survival and strength
• How better funding — and normalising help-seeking — could change the future for Australian families

This Episode Is For You If …

• You’re a new parent who feels constantly 'on edge' or ashamed for not enjoying motherhood.
• You’re supporting a friend who’s not herself and don’t know how to help.
• You’re neurodivergent and struggling to separate exhaustion from depression.
• You’ve ever wondered why asking for help feels so hard.

⚠️ Trigger Warning

This episode discusses perinatal mental health distress and self-harm.

Please take care while listening.

Key Takeaway

You’re not broken — you’re overwhelmed.

Being a good parent doesn’t mean being okay all the time. It means recognising when you’re not okay and reaching out before the darkness deepens. Help-seeking isn’t weakness; it’s leadership.

Resources Mentioned

• PANDA Helpline: 1300 726 306 | www.panda.org.au | 9 am – 7:30 pm AEST Mon–Fri | 10 am – 4 pm Sat
• Mental-Health Checklist: Check how you’re really going → panda.org.au/checklist
• Lifeline (24/7): 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
• Gidget Foundation Australia: www.gidgetfoundation.org.au
• For When — Free parent mental-health support: forwhenhelpline.org.au

Related ADHD Mums Episodes

• 🎧 CONFESSIONS: I Don’t Always Like Being a Parent — A brutally honest look at the guilt, grief and relief of saying what most mums secretly feel.
• 🎧 CONFESSION: Mums wrote in anonymously… and what they shared wrecked me — The raw, unfiltered truth about motherhood’s darkest moments, shared anonymously by real mums.
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