Mind

Gwyneth Paltrow credits sleep for helping her ‘break out of’ postpartum depression

'I never thought that I would be a person who got post-natal depression.'

Gwyneth Paltrow has opened up about her experience of postpartum depression, claiming that she ‘broke out’ of it without the use of antidepressants.

Speaking during a special edition of goop’s podcast, which was celebrating the company’s 10th anniversary, she said: “I had postnatal depression, as you know, after my son. A doctor tried to put me on antidepressants and I thought, if I need them, then yes, I’ll come back to it.

“They are lifesavers for certain people for sure,” she continued.

“I thought, well, what if I went to therapy and I started exercising again, and I stopped drinking alcohol and I just gave myself a period of regeneration and I slept more? I really broke out of it.”

Paltrow suffered from postpartum depression 12 years ago after welcoming her son Moses, who she shares with ex Chris Martin.

She opened up about her experience back in April while speaking to her mother, Blythe Danner, on the podcast.

“It was really shocking to me because I never thought that I would be a person who got post-natal depression,” she said. “I was so euphoric when Apple was born, and I assumed it would happen with Mosey and it just – it took a while. I really went into a dark place.”

Paltrow has previously caused controversy for promoting unusual methods she claims cure depression.

In April last year, a post on goop asserted that ‘earthing’ (defined by goop as the practice of walking around bare-foot) can heal people of the illness.

The post said: “Several people in our community (including GP) [GP stands for Gwyneth Paltrow] swear by earthing — also called grounding — for everything from inflammation and arthritis to insomnia and depression.”

Paltrow took to Instagram yesterday to speak about the anniversary of lifestyle and wellness brand goop, reflecting on the lessons she’s learned from the company.

She said: “I have learned about community and trust and conviction and authenticity and perseverance and self-belief,’ she said. ‘I have learned about leadership and culture and management and Excel and WordPress and (multiple) e-commerce platforms.

“I have learned how to finish the [day’s] work at the kitchen table while my kids work on geography and geometry, that balance is elusive, that start-up life and motherhood are sometimes difficult bedfellows.”

Via our sister site Grazia.

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