Postnatal depression affects many new mums, but it's often overlooked as just part of adjusting to life as a parent.
Arna-Lise Harris first started suffering the disorder after giving birth to her first child nearly nine years ago. It went undiagnosed until her daughter was six-and-a-half.
"I just felt exhausted," she told The Project.
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"I can remember going to the doctor multiple times and saying 'I'm so tired', and the doctor would say 'You've got three pre-schoolers, every mum with three pre-schoolers feels tired'.
"It really was overlooked every time I went with various ailments to the doctor."
Everything came to a head in early 2018.
"I kind of came to crashing point this year," she says. "I went back to the doctor and said 'I don't know what's wrong with me but whatever it is, it's absolutely ruining my life'."
She went on medication and started to have "amazing" counseling sessions, but she made some significant changes to how she lived her daily life.
"I started running, I started eating healthy. I was just trying to build a lifestyle that would help me on the road to being well again."
Ms Harris ran her first half-marathon on Saturday, something she never thought she'd do, and is raising money for a charity that helps mums recover from postnatal depression.
"It's been such an incredible turnaround. I feel like a different person, I really do. It's just amazing."
Where to find help and support:
Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
Samaritans - 0800 726 666
Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
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