Celebs Get Real About Postpartum Depression

Life after having a baby is a mix of so many different emotions and feelings — everything from elation to exhaustion to just feeling completely overwhelmed. While “baby blues” (mood swings, crying spells, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping, according to Mayo Clinic) are extremely common for up to two weeks postpartum, many people experience a much more severe, long-lasting depression called postpartum depression (PPD) or experience severe anxiety called postpartum anxiety (PPA).

While postpartum depression and anxiety can, of course, happen simultaneously, they are two distinct conditions. Postpartum depression afflicts approximately a half million people every year and one in eight women experience symptoms of it. Postpartum anxiety on the other hand often goes undiagnosed or is considered just a symptom of postpartum depression, despite the fact that it’s a distinct condition.