Everything Drew Barrymore Has Said About Her Struggles With Postpartum Depression
Drew Barrymore won over fans at an early age. The actress has been working in Hollywood since she was a young child and is often remembered for her role in "E.T.: The Extraterrestrial" when she was just 7 years old (via Biography).
It's no surprise that Barrymore has had a long career in Hollywood as she is the daughter of actor John Barrymore Jr. — and the acting gene doesn't stop there. Her grandparents and great-grandparents were also actors. In addition, iconic director Steve Spielberg is her godfather.
Since her early days in acting, Barrymore has hit it big with her fan-favorite roles in films, per Hello! Magazine. The actress has starred in movies such as "Batman Forever," "Boys On The Side," "Scream," "Never Been Kissed," "Charlie's Angles," "The Wedding Singer," "50 First Dates," "Fever Pitch," and many more.
She also appeared in the HBO film "Grey Gardens" as well as the Netflix series "Santa Clarita Diet" (via IMDb). Since then, Barrymore has gone on to host her own daytime talk show.
However, everything hasn't always come easy for the actress just because she comes from a famous family. In reality, Barrymore has struggled with many issues during her life.
Drew Barrymore struggled with substance abuse at a very young age
Drew Barrymore seemed to have it all at a very young age. She was born into a wealthy and famous family and also began making a name for herself in Hollywood. However, when Barrymore's mother began taking her to adult parties, the young actress found herself drawn to alcohol and drugs (via Hello! Magazine).
At age 13, Barrymore had a breakdown when she tried to throw her mother out of their home. Following the violent outburst, Barrymore was sent to rehab to deal with her substance abuse issues and was later empancipated from her parents. She left rehab at 14 years old and attempted to resume her acting career. However, her bad girl reputation hindered her from getting many roles.
According to Biography, Barrymore turned things around when she co-founded her own production company and landed roles in acclaimed movies like "Boys on the Side" and "Everybody Says I Love You."
Years later, Barrymore opened up about her struggles during an interview with CBS, per CNN. "We continue to confront things with each decade of our life that almost surpasses what we thought we had seen. I'm interested in that conversation — we don't fix it, move on and it never breaks again. We are on that roller coaster."
Sadly, substance abuse isn't the only thing that Barrymore has had to overcome.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
The actress gets candid about dealing with postpartum depression
In 2012, Drew Barrymore married her third husband, Will Kopelman. That same year, the pair welcomed their first child together, daughter Olive. Two years later, they made Olive a big sister when their second daughter, Frankie, was born. Following the birth of her second child, Barrymore continued being open and honest about her life and her struggles, confessing that she dealt with postpartum depression, per Closer Weekly.
"I didn't have postpartum the first time so I didn't understand it because I was like, 'I feel great!' The second time, I was like, 'Oh, whoa, I see what people talk about now. I understand,'" she previously told People. "It's a different type of overwhelming with the second. I really got under the cloud."
The actress added that her work life was also a cause of stress in her parenting. "It was just really challenging and I felt overwhelmed. I made a lot of decisions and I definitely changed my work life to suit my parenthood," she stated.
Sadly, Barrymore and Kopelman couldn't make it work and divorced in 2016. However, the exes now co-parent their daughters and even spend holidays together for the greater good of their children (via Us Weekly). It appears that Barrymore continues to overcome the obstacles in her life and looks to help others by sharing her story.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.