Jennifer Lawrence Drew on Her Own ‘Bad’ Experience With Postpartum Anxiety When Making ‘Die My Love'

Jennifer Lawrence is showing the strength of motherhood in her latest film role. The mom of two took an extremely difficult period of her life and used it to fuel her acting for Die My Love.

At the New York City premiere of her movie, in which Lawrence plays a mom struggling with new motherhood and slowly losing her mind, The Hunger Games alum opened up about her postpartum experience after the birth of her second son, who was born earlier this year. “I didn’t really end up having really bad postpartum [anxiety] until my second [baby],” Lawrence told PEOPLE.

“I think that just added another layer,” she said, adding, “I mean, I don’t think that you have to have kids to play a parent by any means, but having that information about, you know, what a tiny person needs, and is looking for. Just having that information was helpful.”

The Oscar winner, who shares her baby and son Cy, 3, with husband Cooke Maroney, talked about her postpartum anxiety with The New Yorker last week. “I just thought every time he was sleeping he was dead,” she revealed in the vulnerable interview. “I thought he cried because he didn’t like his life, or me, or his family. I thought I was doing everything wrong, and that I would ruin my children.”

As a mom who has gone through postpartum anxiety, I feel deeply for Lawrence. It’s so hard dealing with those intrusive thoughts, horrible anxiety and pressure, and debilitating feelings. I am so proud of her that she’s able to channel that pain into her art, as I can imagine that would be so challenging to relive those moments.

Outside of this specific postpartum anxiety inspiration, Lawrence is always thinking about her kids in her work. “Having children changes everything. It changes your whole life. It’s brutal and incredible,” Lawrence said at Cannes in May, per Variety. “So not only do they go into every decision of if I’m working, where I’m working, when I’m working, they’ve taught me — I mean, I didn’t know that I could feel so much and my job has a lot to do with emotion. It’s almost like feeling a blister or something — like, so sensitive.”

“So they’ve changed my life, obviously, for the best and they’ve changed me creatively,” she added. “I highly recommend having kids if you want to be an actor.”

Lawrence was able to find healing from her postpartum anxiety through medication and working with her doctor, as was I. If you are feeling off after having a baby, don’t hesitate to reach out to your OB-GYN or general practitioner to share your feelings.

In a previous interview with SheKnows, Donna S. Sheperis, PhD, and board-certified telemental health provider, shared some signs that you might be dealing with postpartum anxiety. “Moms may withdraw from people they love or have feelings of guilt or that they shouldn’t be around anymore,” she told us. “Actively suicidal thoughts can occur. Relatedly, postpartum anxiety shows in those early weeks or months by an excessive amount of worry that includes racing and persistent thoughts that the baby isn’t safe or that something bad will happen. These thoughts also create problems ranging from general feelings of restlessness all the way to panic.”

Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 if you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum anxiety or have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. You can also get 24/7, free confidential support for pregnant and new moms at 1-833-TLC-MAMA.

Before you go, see what these celebrity moms had to say about their experiences with postpartum anxiety.