Sarwat Gilani made an appearance on the show Good Morning Pakistan to talk about her experiences with postpartum depression. She recounted how the disorder caused her severe distress and how her husband’s support, coupled with therapy helped her work through the condition.

The actress started by highlighting just because something isn’t visible, doesn’t mean it’s not there, and said people often don’t even realise what’s happening to themselves, much less what’s happening to others. She said a lot of “strong and capable women” go through this disorder.

The star said she didn’t suffer from postpartum depression after her first two deliveries and only realised she had developed the condition when she was unable to bond with her third child. She said anyone could go through what she had and that anxiety and panic attacks were common symptoms.

She said women need support at this time from people around them, as “depression only festers in silence”. She also highlighted the need to seek professional help in the first place because a lot of the thoughts and impulses women experience during postpartum depression are likely to be misunderstood by people who aren’t equipped with the right knowledge.