Rachel Platten opens up on battling postpartum depression, urges others to voice against the 'isolating and scary' experience

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Rachel Platten has shed light on her life with postpartum depression and offered advice to other parents going through the same traumatic experiences.

The 42-year-old singer spoke to People Magazine on Wednesday, March 19, while attending Audacy's 'Leading Ladies' event.

As the 'Fight Song' singer detailed the strong women who influenced her life, she also spoke about feeling empowered as a mother who worked through her postpartum depression.

Rachel Platten 'loves' her mother Pamela Platten

Besides Oprah Winfrey, she revealed that the most instrumental woman in her life is her mother, Pamela Platten.

“We've really worked hard on our relationship and become best friends and it’s the best thing,” the singer said of her mother. “She helps me so much with my children… so that I can be on the road, it's a really big gift. I love her.”

Rachel Platten wants to help others experiencing postpartum depression

The mother-of-two has previously been open with fans about her journey with postpartum depression and now, she wants to advocate for others experiencing mental health issues.

“Having experienced it, unfortunately, personally, I really want to do as much as I can to help advocate for other moms so they don't feel alone in that experience,” Platten said.

“It can be really isolating and scary and lonely. And I think the more that we are vulnerable and help each other and, you know, share our experiences and take our masks off, I think it allows us to feel the community and know that it's not weird,” she added. 

“We're not doing something wrong,” she continued, adding that she wants mothers to feel like it’s OK to ask for help. “We're not bad moms. It's just real and unfortunately, it’s our hormones and that there's help.”

Songwriting helped Rachel Platten in recovery

For Platten, writing songs played a major role in her journey to recovery. “It is really important to share, and also not only share the pain, but share how I've climbed my way out of it,” she said. 

“I just released a song called ‘Mercy’ that really was… I wrote at a moment of true desperation and it was the way out at that moment,” she added. “So, my hope is that these songs that I'm gonna share and continue to release will be that vehicle and that way out for other people.”

Platten is mother to daughters, Violent, five, and two-year-old Sophie, who she shares with her husband of nearly 15 years, Kevin Lazan. 

Rachel Platten misses her children

Platten, who is away from her children for the longest period of time, said, "Oh my God, I miss them so much... I hope never to do longer.”

However, she also gets important updates from her family back home.

She said. “Sophie did just learn how to kick a soccer ball. She's really proud of herself. She's two... and she’s like ‘I kick! I kick! I kick!’”

“And Violet just learned how to read,” she continued. “She just turned five and she's so proud of herself. It's really amazing to watch them start to develop these life skills that we take for granted and just the innocent joy they get from it. It’s really sweet.”

Rachel Platten on experiencing postpartum depression in 2022

Platten previously spoke about her own experiences with postpartum depression in 2022, revealing that her mental health issues were “incredibly painful.”

“I feel so proud of myself, I got through an incredibly painful battle with my mental health, long days that felt impossible and tears that wouldn't stop coming and nights that felt never ending when my poor scared body wouldn't let me sleep," she wrote in an Instagram post at the time.

“I tried every tool possible, even ones I was previously scared of, and finally now I’m feeling consistent joy, ease, power and real hope again,” she expressed.

In another post in 2021, Platten wrote that she “hid from social media for 2 months because of” her postpartum depression.

"I don't want one other single mother out there to experience the same feelings of shame, loneliness and fear that I did if maybe reading about my story NOW can help you,” she wrote at the time, revealing why she wanted to speak up about her depression. “Because this can be hell if you think you're alone.”

Platten added the “reality” of the postpartum experience is not talked about "enough" because "so often mothers are shocked that it is nothing like they expected,” and added that it can feel like a “daily mental rollercoaster.” 

“I’m sorry I've hid this from everyone. I didn't want to suffer in public, not again. but I know sometimes this community is exactly the thing I need to remember how loved and supported I am, how much we all are,” she concluded the post.