May 02, 2019
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so actress and model Chrissy Teigen is teaming up with a Pennsylvania-based health network to shed light on a mental health cause very near and dear to her heart: postpartum depression.
The celebrity has joined forces with Allegheny Health Network, a Pittsburgh-based medical system that boasts a holistic health program for women with postpartum depression, dubbed AHN Women, Refinery29 reported.
Teigen, Allegheny and others are uniting for a national campaign serving to create a safe space for women to discuss and navigate postpartum depression and anxiety called #MyWishForMoms, according to Refinery29.
Known for her social media use – she has 11 million followers on Twitter – Teigen will use the hashtag on social media platforms to encourage moms to share their wish that they had known about postpartum depression, the Pittsburgh Business Times explains.
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The newspaper reports:
"When I was approached with this opportunity – to help be the voice for women experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety – I thought, 'this is perfect!'" Teigen said in a statement. "I'm grateful to be able to use the platform that I've been given to reduce the stigma that many women feel when talking about these very real and treatable conditions."
According to the National Institutes of Health, postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can impact women after giving birth by causing feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety and exhaustion that can impact their ability to function normally. The CDC estimates at least one in nine U.S. women experience postpartum depression symptoms.
An extremely prevalent issue facing new mothers, postpartum depression carries a stigma, with some mothers feeling ostracized. This campaign is another step in helping women cope and overcome their symptoms.