‘I was seeing things and felt like I was in danger’ says Helen Flanagan as she reveals terrifying battle with psychosis
HELEN Flanagan has opened up about her terrifying battle with psychosis.
The former Coronation Street actress, 33, began struggling with her mental health after splitting from her partner of 13 years, Scott Sinclair.
The former couple got together when she was 18 and had three children – Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and three-year-old Charlie.
Then in June 2022 after 13 years together, the soap star revealed they had split up.
Helen previously shared with fans that she had been struggling with her mental health since before Christmas.
Then earlier this year, she experienced a severe reaction to ADHD medication that sent her into psychosis.
Looking back at the past few months, Helen told the Daily Mail: “I really wasn’t very well.
“Basically I was struggling with my mental health around December and January, so I took my medication to try to make me feel better, and then unfortunately it just made things worse.”
She admitted that even before her psychotic episode, she had been struggling with her mental health post-breakup.
Helen had shut down her emotions and went into “survival mode,” but hit rock bottom when she spent Christmas Day without her children, who were with Scott.
In an attempt to gain control of her emotions again, the actress started medication for ADHD but ended up suffering a terrible reaction.
Helen said she was “seeing things, I felt like I was in danger all the time”.
It took her two weeks to recover, during which she had to withdraw from a touring production of Cluedo.
“I was gutted because I really wanted to do it, but I just wasn’t in the right place… I couldn’t work for two and a half months basically,” she said.
“I was so upset about it, devastated, but I had to prioritise feeling better, for me and for the kids.”
That entire period in her life serves as a reminder that many emotions from the breakup are still very close to the surface.
Helen explained: “Sometimes I’ll be great for ages, like I felt quite good for the last few months, and then I do struggle, like a week ago.
“It’s up and down. I think I have everything under the sun – OCD, ADHD – but I think it’s important to talk about it, and if it makes people feel less on their own then that’s great.
“I get people coming up to me and saying thank you and that makes it worth it.”
Last month The Sun revealed Helen was almost axed from Celebs Go Dating after breaking a huge rule.
Dating agent Anna Williamson told us: “Helen, I just love her.
“What I will say about her though – and I don’t want to spoil anything – but Helen has the biggest cliffhanger pivot of a storyline that we’ve ever had in Celebs Go Dating history.
“Helen nearly got thrown out of the agency two weeks ago. She did something huge which goes against all the rules of the agency.”
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123