Gwyneth Paltrow Fought Postpartum Depression: Can She Inspire Moms to Get Help?

Gwyneth Paltrow at Toronto International Film Festival (AP)

(CBS) Women suffering from postpartum depression and other mood disorders linked to pregnancy and new motherhood have long felt alone. But now that celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and "New Moon" star Bryce Dallas Howard are speaking out about their own painful experiences, perhaps women who feel less than ecstatic about being new mothers will  come out of the closet and get help.

Paltrow recently described the period following the birth of her second child, Moses, as one of the "darkest and most painfully debilitating chapters" of her life. It came as a surprise, she recently wrote on her website, because when her first child was born she experienced a period of incredible euphoria.

About about 20 percent of new mothers suffer from perinatal mood disorders, according to WebMD. That's around 800,000 women each year who feel less than joyful about their bundles of joy.

Some who suffer from pregnancy-related mood disorders don't feel depression at all, but rather anxiety and/or panic disorder, agoraphobia, and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A few have intrusive, unwanted thoughts that may scare them so much they don't dare tell anyone - such as thoughts related to hurting the baby, WebMD says.

Bryce Dallas Howard, 29, recently revealed her struggle with postpartum depression after giving birth to a son in 2007. "In those moments after giving birth, I felt nothing," she told People Magazine.  "I definitely felt I was a rotten mother -- not a bad one, a rotten one," she said. "Because the truth was, every time I looked at my son, I wanted to disappear."

Howard told People that she called her son "it" instead of by its name, and that she couldn't stand to breast feed him because of the pain.

These celebrities were fortunate enough to eventually get help, but many American women aren't so fortunate. All too often doctors confuse postpartum depression with "baby blues," which about 80 percent of women experience, according to WebMD.

But they are two very different things. While the symptoms of baby blues can be very similar to a mood disorder, the symptoms generally go away in a couple of weeks.

So how do you know if your uneasy feelings are within the spectrum of "normal," or if they could be symptoms of something more serious?

"Trust your instincts," Karen Kleiman tells new mothers and mothers-to-be. Kleinman, who has written several books on the subject and serves as the executive director of the Postpartum Stress Center in Rosemont, PA says that if "you think something isn't right, it probably isn't."

She adds that it "doesn't mean something terrible is going on, but you should get help."

[Angels1111]

I cam across this and found it sad that someone who had faced real depression had the insensitivity to poke fun at Mental Illness and the wife of an American president.There are increasing teen suicides and why is it ok to poke fun at Bipolar disorder? It wouldn't be funny if someone joked about aids or cancer. This is a real disease that people suffer with and third cause of death. I am frankly surprised at her.
imaginary violence as humor.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, as substitute teacher Holly Holliday, played Mary Todd Lincoln- wife of Abraham Lincoln- as part of a history lesson. In the video link (above), the short scene begins at the 39:10 minute mark. The transcript and dialogue reads

Holly Holliday is standing at the front of class room dressed in 19th century clothing, lecturing to a high school class.

Holly Holliday: Mary Todd Lincoln in the house! My husband was probably gay and I'm bipolar, which makes me yell things like [pointing to a teapot], 'That teapot is spreading lies about me! Or, that can't be my baby because I don't love it! [throws imaginary baby over shoulder]

Mr. Schuester knocks on the door and asks Holly Holliday to speak with him for a moment.

Holly Holliday: Guys, practice your bipolar rants. See, history can be fun!

Please contact Fox TV and the director of the episode to express disappointment with the scene. Mental illness is not a joke. Would the show have included a scene that played AIDS or cancer for laughs?

Glee has enormous power to influence young people who constitute much of the show's audience-and for whom suicide is the third-leading cause of death. Ask the show to make amends by producing episodes that deal with mental illness accurately and compassionately and include themes of recovery.

[Ronjon7]

Glad she was honest and sought help.