Kirsten Dunst Opens Up About Her Experience With Depression & Rehab, Insists Medication 'Can Really Help You Come Out Of Something'
Kirsten Dunst is opening up about her mental health woes even though it can be a "hard" subject to discuss publicly.
Speaking with The Sunday Times, the actress, 39, gave a few details on the rough patch she experienced a decade ago, explaining that initially, she didn't recognize her symptoms of depression.
"I feel like most people around 27, the s**t hits the fan. Whatever is working in your brain, you can't live like that any more mentally," she noted. "I feel like I was angry. You don't know that you are repressing all this anger, it wasn't a conscious thing."
During that time, the Fargo alum often went out partying to try and shield herself from her feelings, but eventually, she checked herself into a rehab center in Utah.
"It's hard to talk about such a personal thing, but it is important to share too. All I'll say is that medication is a great thing and can really help you come out of something," the Golden Globe nominee insisted. "I was afraid to take something and so I sat in it for too long. I would recommend getting help when you need it."
Seeking treatment helped her become "a different person," but it wasn't until she and Jesse Plemons welcomed son Ennis, now 3, that she felt a real shift.
"I remember feeling really free after having my [first] son," she explained. "I think as a performer, you put yourself out there more [after having a child]. You put yourself on the line because you have nothing to lose. It doesn't really matter. And to show everything of yourself is a brave thing and a beautiful thing."
Five months ago, Dunst welcomed their second son, James, and as much as she loves being a stay-at-home mom, she confessed that doing so can take a real toll on you mentally and physically.
"I’m just tired all the time," she told PEOPLE of how her life has changed since becoming a parent. "It’s so much easier to go back to work than it is to be a stay-at-home mom. I was like, ‘bye’ to my mother-in-law! I was like, [phew!]"