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Mena Suvari Opens Up About Struggling with Postpartum Depression 'Every Day' Since Son's Birth

Mena Suvari poses as NET-A-PORTER and Laquan Smith host an intimate dinner in Los Angeles to kick off Oscars weekend at Olivetta on March 24, 2022 in West Hollywood, California.
Mena Suvari poses as NET-A-PORTER and Laquan Smith host an intimate dinner in Los Angeles to kick off Oscars weekend at Olivetta on March 24, 2022 in West Hollywood, California.

Stefanie Keenan/Getty

Mena Suvari is opening up about her postpartum experience.

Appearing on Rachel Bilson's "Broad Ideas" podcast, the American Horror Story alum, 43, opened up about how her mental health journey has been impacted since becoming a mom. Suvari and husband Michael Hope welcomed son Christopher Alexander in April 2021.

"I struggle with postpartum every day," said Suvari, later clarifying she meant postpartum depression. "I'm just getting my hormones tested next month, so yeah, it's all very real. I deal with this every day, how do I navigate this space?"

Suvari recalled feeling like she had to "get out of the house" in the time after Christopher was born and feeling like it was an impossible task.

"I remember sitting on our balcony saying, 'I have to get out of the house. I have to get out of the house.' My husband, he said, 'You can go. You can go for a walk,' and I was like, 'But I don't think I [can],' " she shared, explaining her postpartum doula had also encouraged her that she was fine to spend some time on her own.

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"I was going crazy I was like, 'I have to do something for myself but I can't go.' I had to learn [to let go]," she continued, admitting she still struggles with it.

"I still struggle with that," she said, "I don't need to be in [my son's] face 24-7 to raise a good being because of my fears. It's a lot of work."

Suvari went on to explain that having a birthing experience that deviated from what she had planned contributed to the intense feelings she experienced after welcoming her son.

Though Suvari was gearing up for a natural birth experience, Christopher was ultimately born in an unplanned cesarean section after "24 hours" of labor at home and "24 hours at the hospital, with an epidural they had to redo again," which took the actress time to come to terms with.

"We as mothers are entitled to those emotions and just because I have a beautiful baby who's perfectly healthy, my husband's wonderful and we made it out of the hospital, I still feel like I'm allowed to hold some space for being sad over not having that birth," she shared.

"I just want to make that area a little big bigger for people," she added. "Because it's not fair to just be like, 'But you're fine, right? But you didn't die? But your baby's okay?'"

RELATED: Pregnant Mena Suvari Reveals Son on the Way's Name and Its Full-Circle Meaning

Mena Suvari (L) and Michael Hope attend The Art Of Elysium's 11th Annual Celebration on January 6, 2018 in Santa Monica, California
Mena Suvari (L) and Michael Hope attend The Art Of Elysium's 11th Annual Celebration on January 6, 2018 in Santa Monica, California

Jesse Grant/Getty

As for sharing this part of her life, the American Beauty actress said she doesn't "want to sugarcoat it anymore."

"I do want to help others. I don't think it suits anyone if I sit here and act like I've got it together in a way that I don't, especially in this day and age," she explained. "We're all trying to survive. And we're doing the best we can, and we have to help each other."

"I'm trying not to [hide] too much," the star said when discussing why she's decided to speak publicly about these struggles. "If I can take away some of the sadness for someone, I want to do that. I'm willing to be that person because it breaks my heart to ever consider someone else going through a lot of what I've gone through, so it kinda makes sense to give in. That's how I live my life.