Erika Krull, MS, LMHP is a licensed mental health counselor, freelance writer, mom of three young girls, wife of one cool guy, and former prisoner of depression. She experienced three and a half years of postpartum depression and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) before getting treatment.
After a year in recovery, she decided it was time to get back to work. From the time she realized she had depression, she promised herself that her experience wouldn’t be in vain. She has spoken at her local hospital about postpartum depression, developed a specialty in women’s mood disorders, been a guest speaker at local postpartum depression trainings, and been a volunteer state coordinator for Postpartum Support International.
Erika has specialized training and experience with intense in-home family therapy. For two years, she traveled to rural areas providing counseling for families with severely behavior disordered kids. She also has almost ten years experience being a mom to round out her qualifications as a family specialist.
Since 2006, Erika has used her writing talents to connect with people. She writes for the drug rehab industry, develops professional training for child care workers, and creates articles and blog posts here on Psych Central.
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17 Comments to
“About Erika Krull”
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Hi Erika,
Congrats on your recovery! After my first son, I had very bad postpartem depression and now, my husband and I have been tracking my moods with feelwellonline.com because it seems like whenever it’s that time of the month, we have big arguments.
How did you finally get a clear diagnosis? Did journaling or writing about it help?
Thanks!
Jeanine
Erika Krull, MS, LMHP
11:08 pm on
May 5th, 2009Jeanine,
I didn’t do any journaling or writing back then. I didn’t even know I was a writer back then! LOL! I’ve been doing my writing mostly in the last few months, which has been great. Not great to dig around in there after several years, but great to rework it and share with others.
I got a diagnosis because of my own observations. I figured out enough patterns and had enough events happen that it was finally exposed. I wrote a shaky frantic letter to my doctor, she saw me right away, and we had our diagnoses – postpartum depression and PMDD. With your monthly arguments, perhaps PMDD is worth checking out? Your monthly observations will really help figure that out.
christiana Sly
9:03 pm on
August 7th, 2009Erika,
I need help!! I have been taking celexa for anxiety for about a year and a half and that seemed to be dooing the trick all but two weeks of the month where I am a MONSTER. I am in one of those two weeks right now and my heart is pounding out of my chest just typing with the anxiety level I feel but the wierd part is when it is over I can’t remember how bad it was and feel like It will probabl not be so bad next month????? I am on BCPs all the time with no placebo pills. It should stop my cycle from affecting me but is not working. I feel like maybe I need more estrogen than the pill offers and my dr. says that my body is reducing estrogen because everyones body reacts to the pill by making less of it’s own. So I don’t know how to fix me I feel like I can remember nothing and my head is soooo foggy but stressed?????any questions or help would be appreciated.
thank you
Christiana
Erika Krull, MS, LMHP
9:14 pm on
August 7th, 2009Are you actually working with a counselor right now? And are you actually diagnosed with PMDD? Are you taking a birth control designed to help PMDD? I wish I could be more help on the medication end, but that just isn’t my specialty.
Perhaps you might find help seeking a second opinion from either a gynocologist who really understands the hormonal mood disorders, or a psychiatrist that specializes in those types of disorders. You need someone who understands the combination of the hormonal cycle and the mental health aspect. Reproductive mental health isn’t exactly the most widely studied subject, so you might need to hunt a little. Also, no matter what your mental health issue is, studies have consistently shown that the when you are taking meds, working with a counselor at the same time brings the best results.
Honestly, my PMDD isn’t absolutely gone either. I take a BCP designed to help PMDD, but no other meds. I try to do yoga and simply be aware that it’s “that time”. But I remember those difficult days, how hard it was to get out of that pattern. Don’t give up and keep looking for solutions. Look at your stress, your lifestyle, your outlets for relaxation, anything that might give you more insight on how to get through those two weeks better.
I hope I’ve given you something you can move forward with. If you still run up against a wall somehow, let me know I can dig a little more for you. Thanks and best wishes for you!
GOTTEN REAL TWICE AT LEAST
1:24 pm on
February 24th, 2010Erika,
Child of Alcoholism – Hero Child
By Erika Krull, MS, LMHP
Families with alcoholism or drug addiction don’t function the same way a healthy family functions. And though any drug makes a family unhealthy, I’m going to refer to alcoholism just to keep this easier to read. A healthy family has the adults in loving leadership roles while the children are given an emotionally safe environment. An alcoholic family creates roles that balance the addiction but create deep emotional pain for everyone.
The role I’m describing today is the “hero child”. It is usually taken on by the oldest child in the family. The purpose of the hero child is to bring honor back to the family’s image and identity. It’s disgraced by the presence of addiction. The hero child’s public presentation saves face for the family both to themselves and to the others.
The hero child is likely an overachiever, throws themselves into their school activities, gets high grades, and so on. They rarely get into trouble and have a longing for approval. The public good name of their family rides on their shoulders. Their desperate hope is that if they are just good enough, smart enough, responsible enough, and accomplish enough, they can drag their unhealthy family out of the pit and all will be well.
It is just a distraction, of course. The alcoholic will still be alcoholic no matter what the hero child accomplishes and no matter how clean their room is. And they are unlikely to get that approval they so desperately want. Eventually, the stress and strain of giving so much of themselves for the sake of the family – and for what?
This can sometimes be internalized as anxiety or depression. And once they realize they could never do enough, the hero
I have been educating myself continually about a family that I have lived with and supported financially and emotionally for 2 years until violence due to addiction and mental health issues became part of the problem. I do agree shouldering the responsibilities of the sins of the parent on the children and myself can and is taking its toll. But do you find that having a reason outside of the family problems and having their own existence is something for the children that provides their own identity outside of the family unit, so their not known by the disfunction of the family?
GOTTEN REAL TWICE AT LEAST
1:26 pm on
February 24th, 2010IT IS NOT AN EASIER ROAD. I HAVE BEEN PUNCHED IN THE FACE, RAPED AND BEATEN. SEVERAL TIMES BY THE ALCOHOLIC IN MY LIFE. SOME HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED AS I HAVE PTSD, ANXIETY AT LEAST SOME OF THE TIME. I AM EXHIBITING CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF PTSD AND WANT TO BE DRUNK MYSELF THOUGH I KNOW THAT WOULD NOT BE SMART.
GOTTEN REAL TWICE AT LEAST
1:26 pm on
February 24th, 2010BEATEN AND I DID NOT LIKE IT.
Dear Ms. Krull,
My name is Shira, and I’m the webmaster of the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF). CABF improves the lives of families raising children and teens with bipolar disorder and related conditions.
Our newly redesigned website includes a Family Response Team which answers site visitor’s questions, a reading library featuring the latest evidence-based information on early-onset bipolar, 50+ online support groups, monthly chats with experts, a local resources directory, a subsite and podcast for teens living with mood disorders, a group blog, and more.
We’d love to be considered for your weekly “Around the Web” feature. Please have a look whenever you get a chance. Feel free to contact me with any questions!
Regards,
Shira
CABF Webmaster
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Shira,
That sounds great! I’m lining up my next resources for this week’s edition of Around the Web and will check out your website soon. Thanks so much for writing in.
Grace
11:20 pm on
May 29th, 2010Hi Erika,
I am having issue with my two year old son and my boyfriend. In February my son fell while my boyfriend was watching him and hurt his arm. Things have been quite stressful with my son and my boyfriend. Sometime he crys when my boyfriend is around and very clinging to me but at other times he is fine and happy. This has been such a emotional roller coaster for us. For about a month in the middle of all this he was back to his normal self and couldn’t get enough of my boyfriend. Now it is hit or miss with him and I’m not sure what to do next. I think this maybe the way my son is with his terrible two and its just a big game to him to get my attention. My son is glued to me and I’m not sure how I can spend anymore time with him. Do you have any advice for me.
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Well, I’ll do my best without knowing anything more about your situation. Whatever is going on, it seems he needs you. You may not like to hear this, but perhaps you need to cut down on the time you spend with your boyfriend for a while. I’m not saying you need to break up with him at this time or that your boyfriend is some bad influence, but your son truly is your first priority. If your boyfriend is really understanding of this, then you may be able to go through whatever this struggle is and do OK in the end. But maybe not. Perhaps this isn’t really the time of your life to have a boyfriend either.
When your son is so little and has needs he can’t easily explain, he may just need you more at this time in his life. you didn’t say where the father is or if you have other consistent male figures in his life. Kids who are around two are more obstinate and mood swingy, just as a matter of developmental stage. But any sort of loss or imbalance in his family life may make this more pronounced. Overall, consider his needs for a stable upbringing over your own desires for companionship. You are your son’s rock, and if your attention seems subdivided (like with your boyfriend) he may feel like he’s lost you. Like I said, this might not be a really popular answer, but that’s just what I’m saying from what you’ve said in your comment.
Best wishes for you and your son overcoming this bump.
Maylee
2:24 pm on
June 4th, 2010Hi Erika, thanks so much for your posts on PMDD.
I’ve been suffering for years and have been told by doctors, friends and family members that I’m crazy, as a result of which I pretty much isolate myself for two weeks each month! Reading your stuff has made me more determined to introduce changes into my lifestyle.
Maylee
2:26 pm on
June 4th, 2010PS. Maybe you should write a book! It would help many I’m sure…
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Well thanks, Maylee. That’s flattering of you to say! Right now I’m good with the blogging approach, but who knows. After a lot of posts, I imagine I’d have a lot of ideas to work with. Glad my writing has helped you so much. Finding out you’re not alone is one of the best antidotes for PMDD!
April
11:42 am on
March 26th, 2011Hi Erika,
I have far more issues than I care to discuss on here openly. When I was younger my father molested my sister. I hate him for doing that and of course he denied it. How do I move past it? Im paranoid and think that majority of men are child molestors. Im terrified to leave my daughter with anyone.
Jackie
6:27 pm on
August 23rd, 2011Hi Erika.
I just finished reading one of your articles on sibling bullying. At the end of it you mentioned you would like to hear from those who have experienced it so I thought I would tell you about my experience a little. I was bullied by my brother who is actually slightly younger then me. Some of it was physical, such as slapping and pushing, and some was taunting and harassing, and threatening, stealing my property, etc. My parents were one of those that did absolutely nothing about it, and acted like it was no big deal.
Also, he is adopted and a different race then me. I wondered if you know if the prevalence for sibling bullying is any higher from an adopted child to a biological child or from one race to another, such as a black sibling toward a white sibling. I am white and my brother is black.
I really thought your article was great and brings the truth out in the open. Thanks.
Jackie
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Thank you, Jackie. I have to say I’ve not seen any particular info on adoption or siblings of different races. That may be a specific enough situation that there may not be much literature on it. However, I can look around and see. It’s a great question and I’m certain you aren’t the first to wonder that.
However, more than anything, consider that nearly anything that makes a child feel like they stand out in a negative way could put a child at risk for being bullied or bullying. The sibling part is what I’d like to know about, since it would involve a family unit and very close access (much more than a school situation). It’s quite unfortunate that your parents allowed your safety and dignity to be sacrificed during all this. Perhaps they felt guilty about the situation your adopted brother came from and felt like they couldn’t put down boundaries. I don’t know.
Whenever a parent allows a bullying culture to exist in a home, I’d think that any child (regardless of race or gender or whatever) could be more at risk because kids can find any number of things to pick on. When each child is protected and valued, that sends a powerful message to everyone that it isn’t tolerated. So perhaps it has more to do with the attitude and environment promoted by the parents than any particular difference that exists between siblings.
Hope that gives you some insight into your situation, and I’ll post anything I find about race, adoption, and sibling bullying.
Erika
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