Thank You Shay Mitchell: It’s Time We Talked About Prenatal Depression

Having a baby is great … except when it isn’t. Yes, prenatal depression is a real thing and time we got more comfortable talking about it

Everyone talks about that awesome glow pregnant moms seem to emanate when they’re expecting. But what if that glow is… blue? Prenatal depression is every bit as real as postpartum depression. It’s when you feel like bursting into tears when someone greets you with a “congratulations!” or the just the thought of a baby shower makes you sad or irritable. It’s real and yes, there are other women out there who have it.

What you need to know about prenatal depression

Shay Mitchell gets real about prenatal depression

In an interview, Fil-Am actress Shay Mitchell talked about the prenatal depression she went through when she was pregnant with her daughter, Atlas. “I wasn’t that beaming goddess that absolutely loved it,” Shay shared. “I don’t want to do it again because it took a toll on me mentally.”

“I had prepartum [depression], not post, pre, and that was something that I didn’t know back then. I only heard [of] postpartum, so I was preparing myself for that. But then when I was upset and not feeling my best during, I was like, ‘Wait, what’s this? Nobody talked about this! I should be so happy right now.’ So I’m nervous to go back into it for that again.”

Signs that you might have prenatal depression

1. Constant sadness

Pregnancy brings on a lot of hormonal changes that could cause mood swings and other crazy feelings — but never persistent sadness. If you’re constantly feeling despair, you might want to seek help.

2. Feeling lonely

In another interview, Shay Mitchell said that while she was experiencing prenatal depression, she felt “extremely lonely” and isolated. “I’d be crying to [my mom] and she’d be like, ‘You’re just emotional, it’s just the hormones.’ And okay cool it might be, but you don’t want to hear that,” Mitchell shared. “Like, yes it is, if it is the hormones I’m still feeling that way. It doesn’t take away from this feeling, and it’s completely isolating.”

If you are feeling any of the above, do not hesitate to seek help. We understand that being a mother includes a lot of sacrifice but it should never include your mental health. Thanks to Shay Mitchell, more people are aware of prepartum depression — it’s up to us to show support to those who have it and speak up when needed.

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