Emphasizing the importance of breaking stigma surrounding mental health, Posh's story sheds light on the uniquely challenging experiences faced by black mothers.
**Finding Identity Through Photography: Dola Posh's Journey with Postnatal Depression**
**Finding Identity Through Photography: Dola Posh's Journey with Postnatal Depression**
Dola Posh, a Nigerian photographer, shares her battle with postnatal depression and how she found solace in her art.
In the world of photography, Dola Posh embodies multiple identities: a Nigerian woman, a mother, and a Briton. However, following the birth of her daughter, she found herself grappling with a profound sense of lost identity. Just six days postpartum, Dola lay in a hospital bed amid the Covid-19 lockdown, consumed with anxiety over her changed circumstances, uncertain if she would ever return to capturing moments through her lens.
Being physically separated from her mother, who lived in Lagos, Nigeria, heightened her feelings of isolation and pressure in a time when family support was just a phone call away. She found herself spiraling into a dark mental state, believing she had ceased to be the person she once was: “I thought: ‘I’m me; the baby’s out, I’m still me.’ But no, I wasn’t me any more,” Dola reflected—a chilling recognition of postnatal depression, particularly prevalent among black women.
Once discharged from the hospital, Dola faced a barrage of unsolicited parenting advice, which deepened her sense of inadequacy. "I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing," she admitted, expressing the conflicting emotions of motherhood. Despite her attempts to remain strong, the pressures mounted—leaving her battling intense feelings of shame and hopelessness.
A pivotal moment came when Dola, feeling lost and overwhelmed from lack of sleep and isolation, found herself contemplating the worst. However, a late-night phone call to her health visitor led her to therapy, where she discovered the power of utilizing her camera as a healing tool. Thus began her journey of self-portraits, capturing her struggles while nurturing her daughter, Monioluwa.
In her self-portraits, Dola drew inspiration from her upbringing in a religious household, where images of the Madonna and child permeated her environment. Her photographs, rich with vibrant colors and spiritual undertones, became reflections of her experiences, simultaneously intimate and universal. She felt a growing connection to her cultural roots through her photography, using elements like a veil to symbolize reconnection to her identity and heritage.
As she began sharing her story, Dola unveiled the complexities of motherhood and postnatal depression, dismantling the shame that had clouded her path. "Now I am starting to work on the stories of what actually happened and the darkness, how I crawled out of it," she noted, determined to inspire other women, especially black mothers, to seek understanding and support.
Earlier this year, Dola received an award from Leica, which has catalyzed her efforts to create a narrative that reflects the experiences of black mothers dealing with mental health challenges. "I want a world where black mothers don’t have to carry so much burden," she proclaimed, emphasizing the need for representation in media—a mirror reflecting their struggles and triumphs.
In the UK, black women are particularly vulnerable to postnatal depression, an issue that Dola believes requires open dialogue. “It’s new for a woman to stand there and say: ‘I almost ended my life, I’m not ashamed of it,’” she expressed, affirming that her artistry and womanhood remain intact despite the turbulence of mental health challenges. Dola Posh's story is a poignant reminder of the power of vulnerability and the healing found in creativity.
Being physically separated from her mother, who lived in Lagos, Nigeria, heightened her feelings of isolation and pressure in a time when family support was just a phone call away. She found herself spiraling into a dark mental state, believing she had ceased to be the person she once was: “I thought: ‘I’m me; the baby’s out, I’m still me.’ But no, I wasn’t me any more,” Dola reflected—a chilling recognition of postnatal depression, particularly prevalent among black women.
Once discharged from the hospital, Dola faced a barrage of unsolicited parenting advice, which deepened her sense of inadequacy. "I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing," she admitted, expressing the conflicting emotions of motherhood. Despite her attempts to remain strong, the pressures mounted—leaving her battling intense feelings of shame and hopelessness.
A pivotal moment came when Dola, feeling lost and overwhelmed from lack of sleep and isolation, found herself contemplating the worst. However, a late-night phone call to her health visitor led her to therapy, where she discovered the power of utilizing her camera as a healing tool. Thus began her journey of self-portraits, capturing her struggles while nurturing her daughter, Monioluwa.
In her self-portraits, Dola drew inspiration from her upbringing in a religious household, where images of the Madonna and child permeated her environment. Her photographs, rich with vibrant colors and spiritual undertones, became reflections of her experiences, simultaneously intimate and universal. She felt a growing connection to her cultural roots through her photography, using elements like a veil to symbolize reconnection to her identity and heritage.
As she began sharing her story, Dola unveiled the complexities of motherhood and postnatal depression, dismantling the shame that had clouded her path. "Now I am starting to work on the stories of what actually happened and the darkness, how I crawled out of it," she noted, determined to inspire other women, especially black mothers, to seek understanding and support.
Earlier this year, Dola received an award from Leica, which has catalyzed her efforts to create a narrative that reflects the experiences of black mothers dealing with mental health challenges. "I want a world where black mothers don’t have to carry so much burden," she proclaimed, emphasizing the need for representation in media—a mirror reflecting their struggles and triumphs.
In the UK, black women are particularly vulnerable to postnatal depression, an issue that Dola believes requires open dialogue. “It’s new for a woman to stand there and say: ‘I almost ended my life, I’m not ashamed of it,’” she expressed, affirming that her artistry and womanhood remain intact despite the turbulence of mental health challenges. Dola Posh's story is a poignant reminder of the power of vulnerability and the healing found in creativity.
