Deceased DC Driver Likely Had Postpartum Psychosis
Miriam Carey, the woman now identified as the driver who tried to crash the gates at the White House and then took police on a car chase before being shot to death may have been suffering from postpartum psychosis.
Dr. Igor Galynker, director of the Family Center for Bipolar Disorder at Beth Israel Medical Center of the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, said that going by news reports, Carey “most likely” had underlying biopolar disorder or schizophrenia, or a condition that is “halfway in between” — schizoaffective disorder.
According to sources, Carey was on medication for unknown mental illness and had a family history of schizophrenia. Her family has also reported that she had suffered from postpartum depression.
“Although the classic description of postpartum syndromes suggests the symptoms should start within four weeks of four weeks of giving birth, there is no limit to how long they can last, especially if not treated or inadequately treated,” said Dr. Dost Ongur, chief of the psychotic disorders division at McLean Hospital in Boston. “It is not unheard of for symptoms to persist for a year after giving birth.”
