Drew Barrymore opens up about her experience with postpartum depression

Our love for Drew Barrymore knows no bounds. When she’s not producing blockbusters, starting her own makeup line, eyewear company, wine label, or writing a new memoir, she’s getting honest about the struggles she faces (and faces down) as a real, human woman. Most recently, she spoke with People about her life as a mom, and her experience with postpartum depression.

The mom of two little girls, Olive (3 years old) and Frankie (18 months) revealed that she experienced PPD after the birth of her second daughter. “I didn’t have postpartum the first time so I didn’t understand it because I was like, ‘I feel great!’ The second time, I was like, ‘Oh, whoa, I see what people talk about now. I understand,’ ” she says. “It’s a different type of overwhelming with the second. I really got under the cloud,” she tells People.

She continues, saying that she was consumed by life’s pressures —and that the work-life balance really took a toll on her. Barrymore explains, “I just got right on the idea of, where do I need to be the most? Fifty-fifty would be ideal but life doesn’t work like that. Life is messy. It was just really challenging and I felt overwhelmed. I made a lot of decisions and I definitely changed my work life to suit my parenthood.”

Although Barrymore’s postpartum depression lasted about six months, she says that she’s “grateful for the experience, which constantly reminds her to stay present in the moment.”

Other celebrity moms are also opening up about their experiences with postpartum depression. Most recently, Nashville star Hayden Panettiere revealed to People that she entered a treatment facility for postpartum depression. “…you don’t realize how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on. It’s something that needs to be talked about. Women need to know that they’re not alone, and that it does heal,” Panettiere told People.

While postpartum depression affects at least %0.2 of all mothers, according to ACOG, Panettiere is absolutely right — postpartum depression is a disorder that has always been misunderstood and ignored, and the more we talk about it, the more we de-stigmatize it.

And we are endlessly grateful women like Drew Barrymore and Hayden Panettiere, are using their public platform by raising awareness about the issue.

(Image via Shutterstock)