Chrissy Teigen gave birth to her first daughter with husband John Legend, Luna Simone Stephens, in April 2016, and while she’s very happy, she also revealed to Glamour magazine that she’s been suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety.
In a powerful essay, the model, television host and momma who boasts 10.7 million followers on Instagram details her struggle and shares how she got her diagnosis before the holidays in 2016.
“Before this, I had never, ever — in my whole entire life — had one person say to me: ‘I have postpartum depression’,” says Teigen. “I didn’t have anything remotely close to those feelings. I looked at Luna every day, amazed by her. So I didn’t think I had it.”
She suffered mental and physical struggles for months and elaborates that she hardly had an appetite, found it difficult to get out of bed, broke down on the set of Lip Sync Battle, and eventually, she only left her home when she had to head to the studio. Later, she spent most of her days on the couch because she couldn’t make her way upstairs to bed.
“I couldn’t figure out why I was so unhappy. I blamed it on being tired and possibly growing out of the role: ‘Maybe I’m just not a goofy person anymore. Maybe I’m just supposed to be a mom’,” she adds.
She really didn’t expect to be diagnosed, “I have a great life. I have all the help l could need: John, my mother (who lives with us), a nanny. But postpartum does not discriminate: I couldn’t control it. And that’s part of the reason it took me so long to speak up: I felt selfish, icky, and weird saying aloud that I’m struggling. Sometimes I still do.”
❤ Thank you, @glamourmag, for helping me discuss my postpartum depression with your readers. https://t.co/zIxKDWGuTt
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) 6 March 2017
She thanked Glamour for giving her a chance to tell her story which she penned in February, and is prepared for the backlash from those who might think she’s being a “whiny, entitled girl”.
Many women who suffer from the same conditions don’t have access to medical care and have no help, as she puts it, “I can’t imagine not being able to go to the doctors that I need.”
Clearly, no one really talks about this enough and through this, Teigen raises an alarm to help destigmatise the condition. If you’re suffering from postpartum depression, you should never have to apologise for it or explain it. Talk to somebody, anybody.
