Being a parent is never easy. From the moment a child is conceived, a whole host of new responsibilities come with it. Some of them small and some big, but all equally important to a parent. For a mom with depression, child-care can add to the daily struggle. Jena Malone needs moms with a mental illness to know that they aren't alone. And she needs to know it, too.
The actress gave birth to her son, Ode Mountain, in the spring of 2016. Since then, she's taken to Instagram to document life with her little guy. This Instagram post is a little different than her usual scenic photos with hopeful messages. Where there's usually crisp green grass and solid lines, there's a blurry photo of Malone's chin and Ode's face nestled in her arm. Her poetic messages about the circle of life are replaced with something much more frank, but equally, if not, more, important.
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"Motherhood, depression and self worth," Malone starts. "I don't have anything beautiful to say. Except that this struggle is real. The sharp edges are too much to hold without compassion. I'm struggling with this . Compassion for myself and this moment of growth in my life."
Malone reiterates something moms have been expressing a lot lately. You can't be too hard on yourself. Mothers, especially mothers who work, are bound to feel a certain amount of guilt. Jena reminds herself and others that it's necessary to be kind to yourself.
"I know I am not alone in this. I guess I just needed to share, in hopes of being seen and feeling not so very much alone."
Since she posted the photo, followers have filled the comments with nice words. Moms share their own experiences and those who aren't parents just tell Malone that they support her. An entirely positive comments section seems nearly impossible nowadays but Jena Malone's honest words might have just created one. Hopefully, someone somewhere saw this post and felt a little less alone in the world.
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