HEALTH: Chrissy Teigen opens up about her postpartum blues

THERE'S A LOT of women who would love to exchange places with Chrissy Teigen. 

With handsome husband John Legend who earns a good living by writing and singing musical hits, photo assignments in some of the most beautiful locales around the world, wearing the designer clothes and blessed with the physical attributes of a swimsuit model, it would seem that she has everything a woman could want.

Teigen graces the cover of Marie Claire magazine's July edition. Normally, having an AAPI person on the cover of a major magazine, it would be an occasion to write about the progress we have made integrating into the U.S.

But in this case, Teigen is on the cover for another reason - a dark secret that she reveals in the article. Like many new mothers after giving birth, she suffers from postpartum anxiety and depression. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 11 to 20% of women who give birth each year have postpartum depression symptoms.

Teigen explains how the condition often makes her feel unsteady and worried.“Every step I take feels a little shaky,” she said. “It’s such a weird feeling that you wouldn’t know unless you have really bad anxiety ... You feel like everyone is looking at you.”

Also known as perinatal anxiety, PPA can cause sufferers to feel constantly anxious—to the point where it can interfere with their daily lives. Postpartum anxiety can go hand-in-hand with postpartum depression or it can be completely separate. say medical doctors. Doctors aren't totally sure what causes PPA, but suspect that the lack of sleep and fluctuating hormone levels that come with being a new mom may be at play, she says.

When Teigen was diagnosed with anxiety, she was also diagnosed with PPD, a mood disorder impacting one in every seven to nine mothers, although estimates vary, according to the American Psychological Association. 

PPD involves the onset of moderate to severe depressive symptoms—including insomnia, loss of appetite, increased irritability, and difficulty bonding with the baby—lasting more than two weeks. he model first revealed her illness in the March issue of Glamour magaizine.

Teigen now takes an antidepressant to treat her conditions. And though she's talked about still having "bad days" with her PPD, she's trying not to let the condition interfere with her desire to expand her family. "I loved being pregnant," she said. "Maybe I should be scared [of having PPD again], but I don't know. It couldn't be any worse than it was, could it?"

Teigen also discusses living with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter Luna in April 2016. She said that she treats the mood disorders with medication.

Considering the reluctance among AAPI to discuss and treat mental illness because of the stigma associated with it. The articles about Teigen's condition puts a spotlight on the illness. She hopes that by going public about her condition, it will encourage other women to understand that their illness is not their fault and that it is treatable.

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