Jen Affleck wasn’t so sure that agreeing to film The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County was great for her mental health.
“I almost wasn’t even part of the OC show just because it got so bad. I was like, ‘You know what? Maybe I need to take a step back,’” Jen, 27, exclusively told Us of her mental wellbeing at the time. “But I felt honestly within me that I needed to share this time because with season 2 — when I did go through that — I think it was the right thing at the time to exit and focus on my mental health.”
While Jen rose to fame through MomTok and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, she’s now embracing a new chapter as part of the Hulu spinoff in Orange County. The reality TV star felt this time around that it was “important” for her to show viewers “what happens and how hard it is” to experience postpartum or prenatal depression.
“I hope that anyone who’s gone through any form of depression watching the show can relate [to] me and can kind of feel seen because it was hard showing up,” she said, while promoting her Quest Nutrition partnership. “It was hard sharing and it’s also really vulnerable having to share the darkest seasons of your life. But I think in doing so, as long as it’s helping someone, that’s all I care about.”
Since Jen and husband Zac Affleck shared in June that they are expecting their fourth child, the former Dancing With the Stars contestant has been candid about experiencing prenatal depression — but said she’s “feeling way better” today. (The couple, who tied the knot in 2018, previously welcomed daughters Nora and Penny and son Lucas in 2021, 2025 and 2023, respectively.)
“Definitely seeing more of the light at the end of the tunnel now that I’m not deathly ill and sick and on bed rest,” she said. “I have always struggled, specifically the first trimester of every pregnancy. It’s interesting because I never was a person to really struggle with depression throughout my life. But when I became a mom, it was a different story. Like my body was just going through things that I just didn’t know how to navigate, and I, unfortunately, with this being the fourth pregnancy, this was the hardest pregnancy out of all of them.”
Jen shared that she’s been feeling hopeful because she knows she has “gotten through this before” and “can go through this again.”
“The only difference between this pregnancy and other pregnancies was I had a really hard time reaching out, really hard time talking about it and asking for help,” she said. “I think, especially as a mom, I think it’s hard to ask for help because you’re constantly serving your children and thinking of your children, and it’s hard to think of yourself. But I think through asking for support has been the biggest game changer, and it’s given me the strength to be able to show up for other people. I hope through sharing my story, it’s been able to help other people, or at least bring awareness.”
As Jen prepares to welcome her fourth baby, she can be found teaming up with Quest Nutrition to spotlight the brand’s protein-packed Chips, Bars and treats designed to satisfy cravings.
“I always carry [the snack bars] in my bag at all times. I will not leave the house without it, just because I have such long days, and if I don’t constantly snack or eat, I get so nauseous being pregnant,” she explained. “The snack bars have been a game changer. They’re so yummy. I feel like it’s a guilt-free treat because it tastes literally like a treat.”
If you or someone you know is pregnant or just had a baby and is in crisis, help is available. Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline for free, confidential support 24/7 in English and Spanish at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).
