Lindsay Clancy and postpartum psychosis

September 9, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The rare, treatable, and misunderstood condition at the center of a shocking trial

In January 2023, Lindsay Clancy strangled her three children in the basement of their Massachusetts home. At her trial, the central question was whether she was sane when she acted — or whether she was in the grip of postpartum psychosis. The jury could not reach a unanimous decision, and a mistrial was declared last Friday. The case has drawn intense public attention to a condition that remains poorly understood, even by many doctors.

What postpartum psychosis actually is

Postpartum psychosis is distinct from the more familiar postpartum depression. After giving birth, parents experience extreme mood swings — far more dramatic than the "baby blues" many new parents expect. They may become intensely irritable or, conversely, have surges of energy. The condition more closely resembles bipolar disorder than depression. Most critically, the parent's sense of reality shifts: they can have hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions, and they are at risk for harming themselves or their children.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

Never miss an episode of Short Wave

Get every new episode summarized in your inbox — free, ~5 minutes to read.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

What you'll learn

1 (00:21) **The Lindsay Clancy Case and a Core Question** - Hosts Nate Rott and Dr. Angela Chen introduce the Lindsay Clancy trial, where the central question is whether she was sane or suffering from psychosis when she killed her children.
2 (01:49) **Postpartum Psychosis vs. Postpartum Depression** - Angela explains the key differences, highlighting that postpartum psychosis is more akin to bipolar disorder than depression.
3 (02:45) **A History of Neglect in Research** - Psychiatrist Veerle Bergink describes the stark lack of scientific literature on postpartum psychosis when she began her career over 20 years ago.
4 (04:46) **Why Does Postpartum Psychosis Happen?** - The short answer is that the cause is not fully understood, but known risk factors and onset patterns are discussed.
5 (05:32) **A First-Person Account: Ayana's Experience** - Ayana Lage describes her initial feelings of euphoria and grandiosity after giving birth, which later spiraled into paranoia and psychosis.
6 (07:33) **Treatment is Effective and Optimistic** - Despite the severity, postpartum psychosis is often highly treatable with medication, allowing for full recovery.
7 (08:23) **Ayana's Best-Case Scenario** - Ayana was successfully treated and had a second baby four years later without a recurrence of psychosis.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

The trial around Lindsay Clancy may be over for now, but it still leaves us with questions. On today’s episode, we talk to psychiatrists and patients to answer them: What is postpartum psychosis, exactly? Why don’t we know more about it? And what can you do if you are worried about a postpartum loved one?

Interested in more stories on mental health? Email us your question at [email protected].

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy