Bryce Dallas Howard: Postpartum Depression Was "Shocking"

Bryce Dallas Howard is bravely coming forward about her battle with postpartum depression following the birth of her first child, Theo, in 2007.

It’s brutal. I’m a total optimist and it was shocking to face that; I didn’t expect that at all,” the 28-year-old mother of one star said during a recent appearance on The View. “At first I called it postpartum denial because you’re like, ‘I just feel like a zombie,’ and then it gets worse and worse.”

The young mom admits that she lost herself in her acting roles as a dose of therapy. “Everything I was feeling, I could at least explore it in a character.”

In addition to her artistic outlet, Bryce admits much of her recovery was due to the support she received from her friends and family. “I felt really, really fortunate because I had an incredible support group around me – a lot of women don’t,” she said, and added that it made “all the difference in the world.”

Theo, 2 ½, is Bryce’s first child with husband Seth Gabel.