Terrifying truth about rise of postpartum psychosis: Experts sound alarm over critical medication mistake and red flag symptoms, as Lindsay Clancy stands trial for murdering her three children

It is a case as frightening as it is heartbreaking.

Lindsay Clancy, 35, stands accused of an almost unimaginable crime – murdering her three children, aged five, three and eight months, before trying to take her own life.

As her trial unfolds this week, Clancy and her husband, Patrick, have argued she was not responsible for her actions because she was suffering from a severe psychiatric illness – one they say robbed her of her grip on reality. 

Her lawyers claim Clancy – paralyzed from the waist down after jumping from a second-flood window in an apparent suicide attempt – was in the grip of postpartum psychosis.

The condition is considered a psychiatric emergency as it can trigger delusions, hallucinations, paranoia and violent mood swings in weeks and months after giving birth.

They say Clancy began hearing voices several months after her youngest child’s birth ordering her to kill her children and herself.

Doctors say what separates postpartum psychosis from the more common postpartum depression is that it can deteriorate rapidly, leaving mothers at immediate risk of harming themselves or their children if untreated. 

Perhaps most alarming is around half of women who develop postpartum psychosis have no history of mental illness. It can appear suddenly and without warning. 

The condition is thought to be on the rise in the US, and experts not involved in the case told the Daily Mail some clinicians rely too heavily on prescribing multiple psychiatric medications, rather than ensuring women like Clancy receive the intensive, specialist care necessary.

In a lawsuit, Clancy’s lawyers claim she was prescribed 13 different psychiatric medications over several months as doctors attempted to treat her worsening symptoms.

Experts warn that while medications can play a vital role in treating postpartum psychosis, the practice of polypharmacy – the use of multiple medications at the same time or in rapid succession – can sometimes complicate treatment. 

Alongside increasing the risk of side effects, certain drug combinations can interact in unpredictable ways, potentially worsening symptoms in some patients.

Below, experts, who are not involved in Clancy’s case, reveal everything mothers, partners and loved ones need to know about postpartum psychosis.

It’s not just ‘the baby blues’ 

Most new mothers know the feeling – sudden mood swings, crying, becoming irritated at your partner for every little thing. 

The ‘baby blues’ sets in about two to three days after delivery for about 80 percent of new moms amid a lack of sleep and stress of caring for a newborn. 

Dr Rod Hoevert, clinical and forensic psychologist and assistant professor at Maryville University in St Louis, told the Daily Mail this common feeling is ‘largely linked with the massive shifting of hormones and other changes a woman goes through after giving birth.

‘It’s quite normal, resolves relatively quickly, and carries no risk of harming children, self or others,’ he added. 

But about one in eight new mothers, 460,000 each year, go on to develop postpartum depression, which can last months or even years after birth. 

Unlike more mild mood changes in the baby blues, women with postpartum depression can suffer sadness, feelings of worthlessness, excessive worrying, along with classic depression symptoms like appetite changes and a lack of motivation. 

‘This condition is more than just “normal” hormonal fluctuations and results in many of the customary signs of depression, along with struggles to connect and care for the new child,’ Hoevert said.  

It’s unclear exactly what causes postpartum depression but pregnancy complications, a personal or family history of depression and relationship struggles can raise the risk. 

Postpartum psychosis, however, is rarer, affecting one to two of every 1,000 births in the US, or 0.1 to 0.2 percent. Unlike postpartum depression, which comes on gradually and can last for years, postpartum psychosis is a sudden psychiatric emergency.

In postpartum psychosis, mothers lose touch with reality, suffering hallucinations, mania, paranoia and rapid mood swings. In many cases, like Clancy’s, hallucinations and delusions can tell mothers to hurt themselves or their babies. 

‘It carries the most risk of the mother harming the baby due to having psychotic experiences,’ Hoevert said. 

The moms most at risk

There isn’t one single trigger of postpartum psychosis. It can be brought on by a combination of severe sleep deprivation, drastic hormone fluctuations and a history of mental health conditions, especially bipolar disorder. 

Rachel H Tribble, a licensed clinical social worker in Florida who works with postpartum parents, told the Daily Mail: ‘Any woman with a history of depression, anxiety or other mental health condition could be at higher risk.’ 

But about half of US women with postpartum psychosis have no history of mental health disorders. 

While exact estimates are unclear, experts believe postpartum psychosis is most common in women giving birth to their first child, and there’s a 30 to 50 percent chance of it recurring in subsequent pregnancies. 

Tribble also notes ‘significant sleep deprivation may also contribute in some people.’

Sleep disruption can play an important role because it can alter the brain’s regulation of key neurotransmitters involved in mood, perception and thinking, while also disrupting normal brain function. In vulnerable women, experts believe this may trigger the onset of psychotic symptoms.

She adds postpartum psychosis ‘most commonly presents in the first two weeks after baby is born, but can happen at any time during pregnancy or within the first year after birth.’

The mistake of ‘overmedication’

After the birth of her youngest child, Clancy repeatedly sought medical help as her mental health deteriorated. Instead of receiving specialist inpatient care, her defense alleges she was prescribed 13 different psychiatric medications by multiple doctors over the following four months.

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington said in the interview the result was ‘a horrific overmedication of drugs that caused homicidal ideation [AND] suicidal ideation.’ 

Providers in the lawsuit filed by the Clancys have filed motions to dismiss. The Daily Mail has reached out to those providers for comment.  

The lawsuit claims the list of drugs included three benzodiazepines – Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam) and Ativan (Lorazepam) – all of which are used to treat anxiety and insomnia. 

Others were for mood disorders such as depression, including Zoloft (sertraline), amitriptyline, Remeron (mirtazapine), Prozac (fluoxetine) and trazodone. 

The lawsuit alleges she was also prescribed mood stabilizers Lamictal (lamotrigine) and Seroquel (quetiapine fumarate), as well as anti-anxiety drug buspirone, the sedative Ambien and hydroxyzine, an antihistamine used for anxiety or insomnia. 

‘The multiple medications that Lindsay Clancy was taking is called polypharmacy, or a medication “cocktail,”‘ Dr Carole Lieberman, a forensic psychiatrist in Beverly Hills, told the Daily Mail.

Lieberman explains this is generally discouraged ‘because it causes too many side effects that multiply with the addition of each medication, and some medications cancel out the effect of others.’

These medications can lead to a laundry list of side effects such as nausea, insomnia, headaches, low sex drive, drowsiness, dizziness, weight gain, tremors, diarrhea and high heart rate. 

Ambien specifically lists aggressive behavior, abnormal thoughts and behavior, agitation, visual and auditory hallucinations and suicidal thoughts or actions, as rare side effects.

Dr Allen Masry, psychiatrist and medical director of All Solutions treatment centers, notes combining ‘excessive amounts of sedating medications may result in extreme drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, slow response times, dizziness, or increased agitation.’

‘The most challenging part of managing patients with severe postpartum psychiatric illness is determining if deteriorating symptoms are primarily due to medication side effects or a rapid progression of the underlying illness,’ he told the Daily Mail. 

‘Medication should be simplified when appropriate, and close follow-up should be provided.’ 

He also warns stopping any psychiatric medication suddenly can lead to withdrawal symptoms like dizziness, headaches and tremors.

Combining multiple psychiatric medications can also increase the risk of serious adverse reactions. 

For example, taking more than one medication raising serotonin levels – including SSRIs such as Zoloft and Prozac – can, in rare cases, trigger serotonin syndrome.

The potentially life-threatening condition occurs when serotonin levels become excessively high, overstimulating the nervous system and causing symptoms including agitation, tremor, muscle rigidity, fever, a rapid heart rate, diarrhea and confusion.

Experts also warn prescribing multiple psychiatric medications at once, or making frequent changes to doses and drug combinations, may increase risks of serious side effects. 

In susceptible patients, certain medications can contribute to agitation, mania or psychotic symptoms. One Yale review estimated about eight percent of psychiatric admissions were linked to antidepressant-associated mania or psychosis.

Stopping some psychiatric medications abruptly can also be dangerous. 

Antipsychotics, for example, should generally be tapered under close medical supervision. Sudden withdrawal can trigger a rebound of psychotic symptoms.

It is important to note medication remains a cornerstone of treatment for postpartum psychosis. 

Current guidelines recommend urgent hospitalization, with treatment typically involving lithium and an antipsychotic medication. In severe cases, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be recommended.

Red flags mothers and partners need to know 

‘One of the biggest misconceptions is that severe postpartum mental health concerns are always obvious,’ Tribble said. ‘Symptoms can develop gradually and may wax and wane, which makes them more difficult to recognize.’

She said warning signs include severe insomnia or a reduced need for sleep, confusion, dramatic mood changes, paranoia, hallucinations, delusions and behavior markedly out of character. 

‘Family members often notice subtle personality changes before the mother recognizes them herself,’ she added.

Clancy’s lawyers claim she experienced anxiety after the births of her first two children and that her symptoms returned after the 2022 birth of her youngest child. 

According to a lawsuit filed against her psychiatrist, by December she was experiencing panic, emotional numbness, racing thoughts, suicidal ideation and an overwhelming fear ‘something awful might happen.’

The lawsuit alleges on January 24, 2023, she heard a ‘compelling and unrecognizable singular male voice’ telling her she should die and that her children would suffer if she was gone. Later that day, prosecutors say she killed her three children.

‘It’s important to remember that postpartum mental health conditions don’t always look like sadness,’ Rebecca Boone, licensed professional clinical counselor and clinical director at Woodlands Grove Recovery Campus, told the Daily Mail.

‘A mother may appear intensely anxious, emotionally numb, unable to sleep even when exhausted, overwhelmed by guilt, detached from her baby, or consumed by intrusive thoughts that feel frightening or out of character.

‘If someone begins expressing bizarre beliefs, hearing or seeing things that aren’t there, becoming severely confused, or losing touch with reality, they need immediate emergency evaluation.’

Is postpartum psychosis on the rise? 

While postpartum psychosis remains rare, research suggests diagnoses and hospitalizations are becoming slightly more common.

A 2023 analysis of over 12 million US births found diagnoses trended upward between 2016 and 2019, though the increase was not statistically significant. 

Hospital readmissions for postpartum psychosis did rise, from 5.8 to 6.7 per 10,000 births, with 43 percent in the first 10 days after delivery.

Experts who spoke to the Daily Mail believe the apparent increase is driven by greater awareness of postpartum mental illness among doctors and new parents, leading more women to be screened, diagnosed and treated.

‘I think we’re seeing increased recognition of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, rather than evidence these conditions are becoming more common,’ Tribble said.

However, Hoevert believes another factor may be that some women are still not receiving specialist mental healthcare early enough.

‘Mental health conditions – especially those that are multifaceted with a complex set of interacting variables, like postpartum depression and psychosis – need a specially trained eye,’ he said.

Are doctors doing enough?

Doctors say routine mental health screening during pregnancy and after birth is one of the best ways to identify women at risk.

Since 2015, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recommended it. Several states, including California, Georgia and Illinois, also require insurers to cover maternal mental health screening for up to a year postpartum.

But significant gaps remain. Federal data suggests nearly half of women with postpartum depression – which, in rare cases, can progress to postpartum psychosis – go undiagnosed, while many seeking help face long waits to see a specialist.

Tribble told the Daily Mail that while there ‘has been significant progress’ in identifying women who may be struggling, ‘screening alone isn’t enough if patients don’t have access to specialized care quickly.’

She added postpartum psychosis should always be treated as a medical emergency requiring hospitalization while intensive treatment begins.

Hoevert said medication has an important role alongside therapy and hospitalization but cannot replace comprehensive psychiatric care.

Despite the severity of the condition, experts stress postpartum psychosis is highly treatable when recognized early.

‘The biggest misconception is struggling after having a baby means you’re a bad mother,’ Boone told the Daily Mail. ‘These conditions are medical illnesses influenced by biological, psychological and environmental factors, not a reflection of someone’s love for their child or their character.’

‘Recovery is absolutely possible with appropriate support, and seeking help early often leads to better outcomes for both parent and baby.’

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.