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Jen Affleck is opening up about the mental health struggles she's facing as she prepares to welcome her fourth child.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, 27, revealed in a July 23 Instagram post that she is once again battling prenatal depression, something she previously experienced during her third pregnancy.
"Prenatal depression came back this pregnancy," she wrote. "Only this time, it came back even heavier."
Affleck admitted her mind went to "some really dark places" during her first trimester, describing the experience as isolating and frightening. "Add moving to a new state, being pregnant, and trying to show up for your kids, and some days felt impossible," she explained.
She credited her friends and family for stepping in when she needed support most. "People showed up," she said. "They reminded me that even when I couldn't see the light, I wasn't walking through the darkness alone."
Affleck, who shares children Nora, 4, Lucas, 2, and Penelope, 12 months, with husband Zac, emphasized that her kids are her anchor. "I'm here to love deeply. To raise my babies. To tell the truth about the hard parts. And if sharing my story helps even one person feel less alone, then every vulnerable conversation has been worth it."
She also reflected on what depression has taught her: "I don't believe depression is beautiful. It's painful, confusing, and exhausting. But I do believe God can bring beauty from it. It has reminded me what really matters. It has taught me that strength sometimes looks like asking for help instead of pretending you're okay."
Affleck has spoken before about the toll prenatal depression took during her last pregnancy, when she checked into a wellness retreat to focus on healing. She has also been candid about experiencing suicidal ideation while filming season 2 of SLOMW, later saying she is "doing way better now."
This time, she says she's coping by slowing down and allowing herself to feel the pain instead of running from it. "It's been much harder, but it's also been the most healing," she shared.
