Julia Fox on Postpartum Depression: "Moms Will Get This. Everyone Else Will Not."

Julia Fox is offering her honest take on postpartum depression. The actor, who's a mom to her 20-month-old son, Valentino, recently opened up on TikTok about her PPD and the "reality check" new moms experience after giving birth, describing the frustration behind not being able to speak up about how they're truly feeling.

"Moms will get this. Everyone else will not."

In a video posted on Sept. 29, Fox explained why she thinks postpartum depression is affected by traditional gender roles. "Since we were little girls, we were told that having a baby is the end goal, it's the best thing we're ever gonna do," she said while in her bathtub. "It's like, our lives will be meaningless if you don't have babies and it's gonna fix all our problems . . . and I think it's just such a reality check when you finally have a kid and you're like, 'Holy f*ck, this has just drastically made my entire life worse. This is not at all the fairy tale that I was f*cking promised. But how do we say that out loud?"

About one in seven people develop postpartum depression after giving birth. While there's no one cause, physical changes are at least partially responsible: the hormonal swings that occur after giving birth are intense and can significantly impact your mood, notes the Mayo Clinic. Other issues that tend to go along with the newborn stage, like sleep deprivation or changing relationships, can also be a strain.

PPD is not the fault of the parent, and it's very treatable, which is why it's so urgent for new parents to seek help if they or their loved ones notice they're exhibiting symptoms like persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or guilt, brain fog, and thoughts of harming themselves or the baby.

Fox continued her thoughts in the caption of the video, writing, "And for [you] haters yes I love my son to death but I think we need to start having this [dialogue]. A life without a child can be just as fulfilling if not more and women are more than just one of our many biological functions. Moms will get this. Everyone else will not."

Fox's post was in response to TikTok user @devotedly.yours's viral video recapping Hayden Panetierre's devastating Red Table Talk interview about losing custody of her daughter and battling PPD herself. The "Uncut Gems" actor's candid videos have become somewhat of a TikTok staple as of late. She's opened up about various personal topics like parenting, navigating her career as someone who's neurodivergent, and abusive relationships.

Watch Fox get real about PPD below.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has resources available including a helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6424). You can also dial 988, the nation's new mental health crisis hotline.