Rachel Bloom reveals that she takes Prozac for anxiety and depression

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You may know actress Rachel Bloom from her work on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, for which she won a Golden Globe earlier this year. Rachel has a new first person essay for Glamour magazine in which she reveals that she suffers from anxiety and depression. Rachel explained that a bout with insomnia set off her anxiety and that taking birth control pills worsened her depression. She revealed that she takes a low dose of Prozac and said that she felt relief after talking to a therapist. In our story yesterday about Amanda Seyfried’s admission that she takes Lexapro to treat obsessive compulsive disorder, several of you mentioned the new study showing that birth control can trigger depression. Apparently this happened to Rachel and this is something I’ve experienced too. I haven’t found any birth control that doesn’t make me sad and weepy. Here’s some of what she wrote and you can read more at the source:

It all started with one sleepless night: Aline and I were pitching the show to networks the next day. In my head, this was my chance to “make it,” which hinged on my performing in those meetings. I had a friend staying over, and suddenly it was midnight. I said to myself, “Oh, you stupid bitch! Go to bed. You have a pitch in the morning!” I didn’t sleep for a second that night. By the time I met Aline the next day, I looked like I had been hit by a truck.

That started a spiral. Every night before a pitch that week, I had sleep anxiety. I became delirious—and afraid that I wasn’t sleeping; ergo I would ruin everything. But the lack of rest didn’t ruin the pitches, and I was good at covering up my anxiety.

A few weeks after these meetings, my boyfriend proposed. Previously, when we had dated long-distance, I feared that our relationship would fail, and then every time I saw him, I thought about that anxiety. So on this amazing night, my sleep anxiety combined with my old relationship anxiety, and all I could think was, Don’t be anxious—if you think about anxiety today, you’re going to associate anxiety with your husband for the rest of your life.

All this time I was trying to hide my feelings. Aline didn’t realize how dark it got; even with my boyfriend I struggled to articulate how bad it was on the inside.

So I was in this perfect storm—with the show, which by this time was a pilot, and the engagement—and then something happened with my birth control. The company sent me the same Pill from a different manufacturer, which shouldn’t affect people but affected me. I went from feeling anxious to sinking into the worst depression of my life. I needed help.

I had gone to therapists, but for the first time I sought out a psychiatrist. In his office I finally felt safe. I told him everything. Each session improved my life. He diagnosed me with low-grade depression and put me on a small amount of Prozac. There’s a stereotype (I had believed) that antidepressants numb you out; that didn’t happen to me.

The thing that has most aided me through my anxiety and depression is realizing I’m not alone. I’m naturally bubbly, even when I’m sad. But here’s what people can’t see: During a spiral the world feels dark. I have anxiety about anxiety, then I worry the anxiety will ruin my life. It’s a snake-eats-tail loop. But in opening up to others, I found a lot of people have felt the same way.

My psychiatrist has also helped me realize that not every thought needs to be indulged—some are nonsense. When I’m about to engage in an anxiety spiral, it feels like I’m balancing at the edge of a pool, and if I dip my toe into the nonsense, I fall in. So I have to stay balanced.

[From Glamour]

She also wrote that it’s been a few years since she went through that and that’s she’s in a good place now thanks to meditation, her therapist and the support of her husband. I’ve found that exercise really helps with anxiety and depression but it’s been years since I’ve tried to meditate. Usually I just take a nap every day and that’s good enough. People rave about meditating so it must help.

Earlier this month Rachel wrote an op-ed for Cosmo outlining just one reason out of many to vote for Hillary Clinton – climate change. You can read that here.

The second season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend starts on The CW tomorrow, October 21! I’m going to tape it. I haven’t seen the first season yet but it’s available on Netflix streaming. Adding that to my must-see list.

I love the faces she makes on the red carpet!
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photos credit: WENN and FameFlynet

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27 Responses to “Rachel Bloom reveals that she takes Prozac for anxiety and depression”

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  1. S says:

    Definitely watch it. I came late to the game and binged it on Netflix. It was funny enough that I rewatched the whole season a few weeks later.

    • Celebitchy says:

      Ok I’ll watch it thanks for the recommendation!

      • Little Darling says:

        The sexy getting ready song. Is. My. Everything.

      • Mila says:

        It’s funny and witty, my mom and i are ready for season 2.

        Also, she looks like a beautiful woman, glad to hear her speak up, sad to hear that she has issues. I’m anxious person,it’s so exhausting.

    • Coco says:

      I also binge watched it on Netflix and it’s wonderful! The theme song cracks me up!

    • LV says:

      I love this show. It’s so funny and relatable. The episode where she goes to the grocery store in her sweats, messy hair, and no make up made me love her. Who hasn’t done that, thinking no one would see them?

  2. Marie says:

    Agree that it’s a must watch. Apart from her, the side characters are also funny, like White Josh, Paula and Daryl. Also, Father Brah.

  3. JustCrimmles says:

    I’ve been on several different birth controls over the years, and all have contributed to my already existing depression/anxiety. Ortho-cyclen was the absolute worst. Now I have an iud, and definitely experienced mild symptoms for the first several months, but I think a combination of several months passing and being on a new antidepressant have evened me out.

    • molee says:

      I also chose an IUD and my mental health improved drastically. I had similar experiences with the Pill, so I got a non-hormonal IUD (based on copper) and it was the best decision my Dr and I ever made. Hormonal/endocrine research is the new hot topic for investigating mood disorders. Maybe science will finally crack this awful illness.

      • Stephanie says:

        Same here for the copper IUD! It has been the longest stretch of my life without any major depressive periods. Over 10 years. It used to be every year or 2. Best choice ever. It honestly wasn’t even a choice. I needed birth control and there was no way I was going back on the pill after 3 years of being free of it.

        ETA that Ortho Cyclen was the worst for me too.

  4. uninspired username says:

    The snake-eats-tail thing is a great description. I like her!

  5. Bob says:

    I love this woman so much. When I’m tempted to dip my toe in the pool of self-loathing, I pull up the “You Stupid Bitch” scene from her show and it’s better than Ativan.

    https://youtu.be/5VDXlf97nBs

  6. Dorothy#1 says:

    Best show on Netflix right now!! I laughed so much watching it. Looking forward to season two.

  7. molee says:

    Good for her! Why suffer with a health issue when treatments are available? I’m glad she sought and found help! Like many illnesses, mental illness has many treatment options. A few are medication, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and lifestyle changes, and there are many more. I’m so happy she explored options and found something that works for her.

  8. amilu says:

    I watch the show faithfully, but I do fast-forward through 95% of the musical numbers. And when I recommend it to people it’s usually with an, “It’s not very good, and I’m not sure why I watch it. But I watch it.”

    I think Rachel is adorable. And when her Michael C. Hall lookalike husband appeared on an episode, he was adorable as well. And I’m #teamgreg because Santino Fontana is so talented.

  9. OTHER RENEE says:

    I watched one episode and didn’t care for it. I also found the premise demeaning.

  10. ClaireB says:

    Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a great show! I was going through a bout of major depression this summer, as opposed to my usual almost-major depression, and that show and it’s musical numbers were a little island of hilarious insanity in my sea of unhappiness. I was put off by the title, because it sounds like the usual CW fare, but it’s really, really not.

    Good on Rachel Bloom for speaking out and refusing to be ashamed of needing help and of getting it. It’s so great to see the stream of celebs doing that now. Eventually, it will change the stigma surrounding mental illness.

  11. geneva says:

    My favorite episode is Thanksgiving. Not only does it feature her song “I give good parent” but also has all Filipino actors and mentions “chicken adobo” (a staple meal for Filipinos) for the first time on prime time TV but the song Greg sings about West Covina and trying to get out of his hometown is superb.

  12. Little Darling says:

    Crazy Ex GF is a great show that I incredulous wound up liking. I was always hesitant to recommend it to people because sometimes I truly couldn’t tell if it was really funny, or just funny to me because I like silly funny things.

    As an aside: I can’t take birth control (or any hormonal therapies for that matter) without turning into a bloated, weeping psychotic mess. It is absolutely crazy how deeply affected I am by birth control pills. Conversely I tried an anti depressant and that too made me bloated, apathetic and couch locked without drive to do anything.

    I started following WomanCode by Alisa Vitti who approaches managing your horomones with food.

  13. ClaireB says:

    The musical number that got me to watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was “Settle for Me” with Santino Fontana, because I love Astaire and those 30s musicals. Also, “Sexy Getting Ready Song” and “Put Yourself First” are really funny. Definitely go check them out on YouTube!

    • Little Darling says:

      Sexy getting ready song when the rapper comes in. I died for days about that.

      • ClaireB says:

        “Sexist, patriarchal bull****” runs through my head every time I put on foundation or lipstick! So funny.

  14. Frannydays says:

    Just had to start taking anxiety medication (Celexa). I have had anxiety since I can remember but recently it got so bad I had to get help. At first I was prescribed to Effexor but after 6 weeks finally got an appointment with a doctor I wanted as my general doctor. She prescribed me Celexa. I’m on 20 mg and feel a lot better but I have gained about 10 pounds. I freaked out about taking medication and I read all the horrible side effects once I was prescribed (don’t do that). But so happy that I took the chance!

  15. Lucky says:

    Not a fan of her show (couldn’t get past the 3rd or 4th episode) but she articulated her feelings really well. She sounds like a really smart lady

  16. MOllie says:

    I take Wellbutrin. Amazing for me, with the added side effect of weight loss and energy.
    Used to take Prozac when I had post partum depression. Worked great, and I gained a LOT of weight. Didn’t matter, I was content and happy.

    With perimenopause, came mood swings, weight gain, and hormonal changes and Wellbutrin was what my gyno recommended. Bless Her Heart!
    Nothing to complain about now. Better shape than ever. most productive year of work, and things are looking up.