By: Aman Jalan
In a candid conversation, Coco Kariuki discusses mental health issues in her film, ‘Cradle Of Doom.’ The Kenyan actress teamed up with South African director Mac Leshabane in the drama movie, which follows a young couple adjusting to life with their newborn. The mother develops postpartum psychosis after dealing with severe anxiety and sleep deprivation.
To dig deeper, postpartum psychosis has been reported as a serious mental health illness that affects around 1 in 1,000 mothers after giving birth. Postpartum is different from experiencing the “baby blues,” which is normal and usually only lasts for a few days. Postpartum psychosis, sometimes called puerperal psychosis or postnatal psychosis, is a serious mental illness and should be treated as a medical emergency.
Symptoms of postpartum psychosis may involve experiencing hallucinations, such as hearing, seeing, smelling, or sensing things that are not actually present. It can also include delusions, which are unfounded suspicions, fears, thoughts, or beliefs that are unlikely to be true. Additional signs may consist of manic behavior, such as restlessness or acting without normal restraint, as well as symptoms of depression, such as withdrawal, tearfulness, low energy, loss of appetite, or feelings of sadness. Anxiety, agitation, difficulty sleeping, or a combination of manic and depressive moods—often with rapid mood changes—can also occur. Confusion is another common symptom.
In the movie ‘Cradle Of Doom,’ Coco plays the lead role of Alisha, who is the mother and protagonist in the story. Coco explains, “Before embarking on this role, I had to do some research around postpartum psychosis to fully understand how to truthfully portray Alisha on the screen. When it comes to serious mental health issues such as this and portraying them on camera, I think it’s very important to take the task seriously and understand the technical issues so that we can make choices that are honest and true to the serious topic at hand.”
“A woman suffering from postpartum psychosis is so delicate and intricate, so to fully absorb the character of Alisha, I prepared first by doing my research, a lot of research, then breaking down the script and doing my analysis, which helped me form my opinions and internal dialogue. Analyzing the script and understanding the subject was highly important to me, especially when working with such a complex character.”
Coco is no stranger to the complexities of mental health on screen. Earlier in her career, the actress played the role of Jeanine, a sweet but sassy high schooler who goes under the knife in order to lose some weight and sparks rumors and conflicts among her peers in the film ‘School Girl Figure.’
“The story follows a group of high school seniors. They’re definitely what you would call the popular mean girls. They are highly competitive when it comes to looks and make a pact that none of them are allowed to lose weight through plastic surgery or augment their faces and bodies in any way because that would be considered cheating. These girls are very superficial, suffer from eating disorders, and definitely have some mental health issues. It sounds trivial, but they definitely took this challenge seriously. This whole project highlights the issues of body dysmorphia a lot of young people are faced with these days. “
“For the role of Jeanine, I prepared by researching symptoms and mannerisms of people with eating disorders and fully worked on wrapping my mind around the issue, not judging my character, but finding ways to advocate for and justify her and her actions.”
Coco Kariuki is an actor who graduated with a BFA in Acting from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She is best known for her roles in Lunchtime, where she played the role of Angela, a fierce office gossip, and Schoolgirl Figure, where she played the role of Jeanine, a competitive high-school student who goes up against a school bully, Bonnie, in Once Bitten, a young girl struggling to provide for herself and her father’s medical treatments, and Katlegho, a young woman, living with her best friend while navigating her abusive relationship.
To find out more about Coco, visit her Katricia Kariuki – IMDb and Instagram.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you or someone you know may be experiencing symptoms of postpartum psychosis or any other mental health condition, please consult a qualified healthcare professional immediately. In case of a medical emergency, call your local emergency services or seek urgent care.
Published by Jeremy S.
