Postpartum depression is something many new moms face, with approximately one in nine women experiencing it, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research. Now, Sarah Michelle Gellar is the latest celebrity to discuss her journey with postpartum depression, which she experienced after giving birth to her first daughter, Charlotte Grace Prinze, seven years ago.
On Tuesday, the Buffy actress shared an extremely personal note on her Instagram account, disclosing how she handled these difficult feelings. The post offers a refreshingly honest reminder that all kinds of women can suffer from postpartum depression, even when everything seems great on the surface.
"Having kids is wonderful, and life-changing, and rarely what you’re prepared for," Gellar wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of her with Charlotte as a baby. "I love my children more than anything in the world. But like a lot of women, I too struggled with postpartum depression after my first baby was born."
Postpartum depression can be absolutely devastating, and it strikes at a time when women are already vulnerable. Symptoms include crying more often than normal, feeling angry, withdrawing from loved ones, feeling guilty about not being a good mom or doubting your ability to care for your baby, feeling numb or disconnected from your baby, and worrying that you might even hurt your baby, according to the CDC. Although many new moms get "baby blues," or feelings of sadness and anxiety after giving birth, those typically clear up in a few days. Postpartum depression, on the other hand, can last for weeks or months.
Gellar's hope is to raise awareness of the condition, but the purpose of her post went beyond that. She included the hashtag #NotAPreExistingCondition, which has been used on social media to protest the American Health Care Act bill that the House of Representatives passed on May 4th. The bill could allow states to waive Affordable Care Act protections meant to safeguard people with pre-existing conditions from being charged higher rates due to their health status. Although there's no official list of pre-existing conditions under the AHCA, there's a lot of confusion and fear surrounding whether pregnant people, or those with various mental illnesses like postpartum depression, may face unaffordable health care if the AHCA becomes law.
Her post continues, "I got help, and made it through, and every single day since has been the best gift I could have ever asked for. To those of you going through this, know that you’re not alone and that it really does get better."
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She's right, Yvonne Bohn, M.D., an ob/gyn at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told SELF in a previous article. "It's not your fault," Bohn said. "There's something chemical going on in your brain. The key is to ask for help."
If you or someone you know is struggling with postpartum depression, help is out there. You can join a Postpartum Support International group, or you can talk to an expert online to learn more about your condition and your options. You can also click here to discover what local resources are available to you. And you can and should always talk to a physician, too.
Related:
- This Man Is Discussing The Pressure To Breastfeed After Losing His Wife To Postpartum Depression
- Postpartum Anxiety May Be More Common Than Postpartum Depression—What You Need to Know
- Why the American Health Care Act Should Require Men to Pay for Prenatal Care
Watch: 11 Signs of Stress
