TYLER, Texas — An East Texas mom is committed to making sure mental wellness stays in fashion.
She launched her own business after battling depression. After welcoming her first child six years ago, Alyssa Brown noticed changes in her mood that seemed unshakable.
"What if I was to have done something to myself? And then it got progressively worse because the next night I would think how could I even hurt myself? I don't even know what I would do to hurt myself," she said.
Months after giving birth to her son Nigel Brown II, the new mom battled suicidal thoughts and immediately reached out for professional help.
"It's really dark, lonely, even though you're not alone at all silently dark place. It's really tough," she said.
And what Alyssa was going through is not uncommon. One in seven women experiences postpartum depression, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.
When Alyssa was diagnosed with postpartum depression in 2019, she thought it was the end for her. Now five years later, it's a new beginning for her.
Brown launched her own online arts and crafts store, MBS Crafts Studio LLC.
Filling out dozens of orders, the mother of two and full-time registered nurse found that a creative outlet helped her through the hard times.
It's a balancing act for sure, but it's one that has also impacted how she feels about herself and the customers she serves.
"It's like fireworks going off in my head. I'm just happy. I really am. Overall, just satisfaction and happiness the whole time," Alyssa said.
She offers custom made t-shirts, hoodies, embroidery, tumblers, and photo puzzles and donates part of her proceeds to National Alliance on Mental Illness. The nonprofit offers programs to support people at all stages of mental illness.
She said it's a cause close to her heart.
"I feel this huge need to give back to mental health and help in some way. And so I said this is way for me to give back to the mental health world," she said.
Alyssa said medicine, therapy sessions and launching her business saved her life.
"Depression just doesn't go away. You have to have something that keeps you going, something that you do that feeds you satisfaction," she said.
Across the country, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that one in five Americans experience a mental illness each year.
"Mental illness is one of those intangible, not visible disabilities. So, when you meet somebody its also difficult to say you don't look like you've got a problem, but that doesn't mean they don't have a problem," said Kathy Riffe, vice president of NAMI Tyler.
Riffe said mental illness is a serious condition that must be cared for in the same way as any physical illness people might encounter.
"It's a scary topic because its so misunderstood. It can't be caught, it can't be transmitted. It's like cancer. People don't know what to say to people that have cancer. And as the expression is mental illness in not a casserole disease," Riffe said.
Alyssa said people can't succumb to depression because "it will eat your brain alive you know if you allow it to."
"You have to push yourself as hard as you can," she said.
Mental health advocates say it's imperative for people to speak openly and honestly about their mental health -- and the mental health of their loved ones.
"Just hang on its going to get better. It's a long road. It's not easy. It's not going to happen overnight, but it's going to get better with all the work that you're going to put in it's going to get better," Alyssa explained.
Some local resources for new moms dealing with postpartum depression include the Northeast Texas Public Health District's Healthy Me, Healthy Babies Coalition and Maternal Mental Health of East Texas.
Healthy Me, Healthy Babies seeks to raise awareness about the risk factors that could impact pregnancies, prioritize care for pregnant and postpartum women, address policies that impede maternal and infant health and improve women’s mental health and wellness in East Texas.
Maternal Mental Health of East Texas is a service that provides therapy for mothers struggling with postpartum depression and anxiety, depression and anxiety during pregnancy, birth trauma, pregnancy loss, complicated pregnancy, body image during pregnancy and postpartum, parenting struggles and teen pregnancy.