Paulina Porizkova Shares Candid Details About Her Struggle With Depression

Model Paulina Porizkova is known for her candid Instagram posts, and she did not hold back on the morning of Monday, October 10.

The 57-year-old Central European Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model decided to open up on her struggles with depression and her use of antidepressants.

In a lengthy Instagram post on Monday morning, the “No Filter” author shared a selfie of her standing in front of a window overlooking the city, looking pensive. “I had my first bout of depression after I weaned off antidepressants I took for my debilitating anxiety,” she began. “Suddenly, I was in a new world that contained no hope or joy.”

“The only reason I didn’t return to the medication was because on it, I felt numb to my sex life and creative instincts, and the weaning off, was for me, horrible- constant nightmares, no sleep, dark days,” she continued. “But I knew medication existed- and it was available if I got desperate.”

“Instead, I tried exercise, meditation, EMDR, tapping, probiotics, and I had already been in talk therapy for a few years,” she went on. “I thought of antidepressants as painkillers. I had read the studies that antidepressants do not work by ‘fixing’ your serotonin levels- it’s not the ‘insulin for diabetes’ I thought [it] was. But they did work to quiet my anxiety, even if they also made me feel oddly insulated against life in general.”

“But after joining a NewsNotNoise podcast with @jessicayellin, Dr. Phillip Cowen, and Dr. Samantha Boardman, I got a somewhat broader perspective,” she continued. “Antidepressants do work. But we simply don’t know why exactly. They work for some, less for others, and in many cases, work and then stop working. So they are an incredibly valuable tool in the toolbox that contains a multitude of other things that also change your brain chemistry, without us quite knowing why or how.”

“Both doctors agreed that antidepressants have a very important function in the treatment of depression,” she added.” And they both agreed that unless the depression is debilitating, and if one has the means and time, the other options should be tried first, because they are longer lasting and may have beneficial side effects.”

“If you suffer from depression, right now the best bet seems to be to find a therapist you can really trust- and develop a game plan, which may or may not include medication,” she concluded. “Personally, I started to take SamE when my life fell apart. And I believe it has really helped. This post is now too long to get into SamE- but Google it if you’re curious.”

Many followers hopped on the post to thank Paulina for sharing her story and to add in their own personal experiences with antidepressants.

“I have a bottle of antidepressants that sits in my medicine cabinet waiting for me if I need it. Coming off of them 10 years ago was really hard, but realized I expected too much from them,” one follower commented. “I have to be very diligent now to take care of my mental health and love all the tools out there now that [weren’t] at our fingertips just a few years ago. As I walk [through] perimenopause my anxiety has been the biggest beast to tame, so the antidepressants sit as an option if I need it.” Paulina replied, “Yup, I hear you.”

“Thanks for sharing your experience,” another follower wrote. “My meds have helped reduce the symptoms of anxiety, fear, and panic attacks. I found spending more time in nature to be helpful in improving my mood and well-being.”

“Antidepressants have kept me ‘leveled out.’ They have been a staple for almost five years,” another follower added. “Any attempts of weening off have resulted in debilitating anxiety/panic attacks. Exercise would help, It’s always been a staple; motivation is what’s lacking. It’s a cycle of wanting to feel healthy but depression getting in the way and saying I’m not deserving.”

“It is really important to have a good doctor who will keep working with you to find the right way to treat your depression,” another follower wrote. “There is no one size fits all and it could be a combination of therapies that one needs.”