Billie Piper has compared her mental health struggles as a teenager to those of Britney Spears.
Britney famously suffered a public breakdown in 2007 which saw her shave her head and go to rehab.
Actress Billie said she suffered similarly after working relentlessly in her teens leading to her suffering from mental health problems and an eating disorder.
Speaking on the Happy Place podcast the 38-year-old said: “I don’t know anyone who worked as hard as I did at 15.
“It was a combination of burnout, the trauma of becoming really famous, being disconnected with my family, a lack of control in my life – hence the eating disorder.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I also felt I was a teenager and changing emotionally and psychologically so much. When I think of the life I lived as a child, with an 18-hour working day and never seeing my family, I see how it negatively impacted my life.
“My experience is one I just escaped from but it could have gone one or two ways.”
(Image: Getty Images)
She noted that she understood Britney’s struggles and mental place, after feeling the same way herself after she shot to fame at the age of 15 with Because We Want To. It was her first single and it shot to No1 in 1998.
She added: “You think: ‘It is so easy not to come out of that alive or without any trust and without some crippling mental health issue’.”
(Image: Getty Images)
In 2001 Billie controversially married DJ Chris Evans who was 35 while she was just 18 years old.
She went on to say that their three years together were her “healing years” because she was able to eat and drink as she wanted.
She explained: “’I needed them so badly and it also gave me space to reinvent with acting.”
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In February Billie wrote a candid essay for Elle UK where she opened up on her eating disorder saying: “Therapy does not change who you are. My inner workaholic is still there. So is that white noise at 3am.
“Working on my mental health is about awareness. Being aware when I’m behaving in a certain way or being overly critical of myself or living for someone else.
“The change is awareness. I wish it could be more fantastical than that, but the reality is that it just isn’t.
“All the therapy in the world, all that money spent, and I’m still drawn into behaviours I wish I’d been cured of – but I don’t think I ever will be and that’s OK.”
If you’re worried about your health or the health of somebody else, you can contact SEED eating disorder support service on 01482 718130 or on their website, https://seedeatingdisorders.org.uk.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
