Deanne Jolly: Block star says she has come to grips with postnatal depression

BLOCK contestant Deanne Jolly opens up about her battle with postnatal depression, saying at its height she felt alone, scared and it took time for her to seek help.

Darren Jolly used to play for the Swans in the AFL.

BLOCK contestant Deanne Jolly has opened up about her battle with postnatal depression, saying at the height of her suffering in 2009 she felt alone and scared.

It took a while for her to accept something was wrong and get help, but now is prepared to tell her story to spread awareness of the illness.

Jolly, who is on The Block with her ex-AFL player husband Darren, was at the time living in Sydney where her husband was playing for the Sydney Swans.

She suffered from postnatal depression after the birth of her second daughter Lily, who is now five.

At the end of 2009 the family moved back to Melbourne, after the footy player confided in the then coach of Sydney, Paul Roos about what the family was going through.

In 2010 he joined the Collingwood Football Club.

Darren Jolly used to play for the Swans in the AFL.

“It was a really hard time, very lonely and scary,’’ Deanne Jolly told the Herald Sun.

“You keep trying to explain things in your own mind about what is happening, which makes things hard.

“I thought I would never go through that condition, but it can happen to anyone.

“I think that’s the most important thing for people to understand.”

Jolly, 42, said at the time she thought she was a strong woman but the illness did not discriminate.

“I just couldn’t believe that it would happen,’’ she said.

“But it doesn’t matter how strong you are, it’s not of sign of weakness.

“I think it’s a situation thing.

“At the time we were up in Sydney, I was on my own, not having much support in terms of family, and Daz was away travelling a lot with work.

“It can happen to anyone.”

Darren and Deanne Jolly are on the current series of the Block.

Along with Lily, the couple had another daughter, Scarlett, 7.

She said with the support of her husband, and her family, she got better.

“You can get through it,’’ she said.

“At the time it feels bad, I remember thinking to myself, am I going to be this way forever?

“I can say now that I’m on the other side, you can get better, you are not going to be like that forever, if you get help.

“Be open with your family, and let the people that love you, help you.

“Once you realise you have a problem they want to be there and help you, with you.”

Jolly is supporting the charity Liptember, which supports women’s mental health.

Swisse will host a party at the Prahran site of The Block Glasshouse on September 18 with Liptember being the official charity.

http://www.liptember.com.au/