Additional Coverage:
- Jennifer Lawrence says she struggled with postpartum anxiety: ‘I just thought every time he was sleeping he was dead’ (businessinsider.com)
Jennifer Lawrence Opens Up About Postpartum Anxiety, Credits Medication for Relief
Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence has candidly shared her struggles with postpartum anxiety following the birth of her second child, revealing the intense and often terrifying thoughts she experienced. The “Hunger Games” actress, who has two sons with husband Cooke Maroney, welcomed her second child earlier this year.
“I just thought every time he was sleeping he was dead,” Lawrence told The New Yorker, detailing the overwhelming fear that consumed her. She also expressed feelings of inadequacy, believing her children disliked her and that she was “doing everything wrong.”
The journey through postpartum anxiety was particularly challenging for Lawrence the second time around. She recalled a poignant moment when she found herself seeking breastfeeding advice from ChatGPT, an AI chatbot.
While the bot’s comforting words – “You’re doing the most amazing thing for your baby. You’re such a loving mother” – offered a fleeting sense of relief, they also left her questioning the sincerity of similar sentiments from real people.
Lawrence also credited Zurzuvae, an oral medication approved for postpartum depression, with significantly easing her symptoms.
Reflecting on the differing experiences with her two children, Lawrence noted, “I had a worse postpartum with my second, but the first time the only thing I was at war with was the rest of the world.”
Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival for her latest film, “Die, My Love,” Lawrence described her postpartum experiences as “extremely isolating.” She emphasized that “extreme anxiety, and extreme depression, is isolating no matter where you are. You feel like an alien.”
The actress also shared how motherhood has profoundly impacted her creatively, making her more emotionally sensitive. “I didn’t know that I could feel so much, and my job has a lot to do with emotion. It’s almost like feeling a blister or something – like, so sensitive,” she explained.
Postpartum anxiety, often diagnosed within six months of birth, involves normal worries escalating into overwhelming thoughts that disrupt daily life. While postpartum depression is characterized by sadness and fatigue, anxiety manifests as constant worry, hypervigilance, and an intense sense of fear or dread. Experts suggest that small behavioral changes, such as prioritizing sleep and practicing mindfulness, can help manage symptoms.