Loose Women star Frankie Bridge reveals health battle left her struggling mentally as she opens up in emotional post
FRANKIE Bridge has candidly admitted her recent health battle saw her mental strength “take a battering.”
The Loose Women panelist, 36, told how contracting a “horrendous bug” not only had an impact on her physical health, it set her back in her mind wellbeing too.
The Saturdays hitmaker has always spoken openly about her struggles, including depression, anxiety and a secret breakdown, and last year told how her depression had “crept” back in.
Now the mum of two has put her setback down to sickness.
Frankie posted a snapshot showing her donning grey joggers and a matching sweater, as she took a make-up free selfie with the help of a mirror.
She struck a serious expression despite flashing a peace sign on one hand and juggling her phone in the other.
She uploaded the snap to her Instagram Stories with a lengthy caption which read: “Day of what feels like 100 with this horrendous bug.
“I’ve been in bed all week. Mostly unable to look at anything just sleep.
“It’s relentless. Just as I think I may be on the up it kicks back in with something new.
“My body hurts from being in bed for so many days. I’ve washed and put on clothes today, so that’s a win!”
The Up! songstress then turned the focus to the impact on her mental health.
The star has has battled severe depression since childhood.
Frankie, now a mum of two, was previously admitted to hospital amid a tough part of her debilitating battle.
She had tried three different anti-depressants at that time, but none had proved effective.
She added in her upload: “Let me tell you. Me, myself and I in a room alone for that long is not good for my mental health.
Depression... the signs to look for and what to do
Depression can manifest in many ways.
We all feel a bit low from time to time.
But depression is persistent and can make a person feel helpless and unable to see a way through.
They may also struggle to about daily life.
Mind says these are some common signs of depression that you may experience:
How you might feel
- Down, upset or tearful
- Restless, agitated or irritable
- Guilty, worthless and down on yourself
- Empty and numb
- Isolated and unable to relate to other people
- Finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy
- Angry or frustrated over minor things
- A sense of unreality
- No self-confidence or self-esteem
- Hopeless and despairing
- Feeling tired all the time
How you might act
- Avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy
- Self-harming or suicidal behaviour
- Difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions
- Losing interest in sex
- Difficulty remembering or concentrating on things
- Using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual
- Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
- No appetite and losing weight, or eating more than usual and gaining weight
- Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause
- Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated
If you feel this way, visit your GP who can help you.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.
The following are free to contact and confidential:
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123, jo@samartiands.org.uk
- CALM (the leading movement against suicide in men) www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Papyrus (prevention of young suicide) www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Shout (for support of all mental health) www.giveusashout.org/get-help/, text 85258 to start a conversation
Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Email info@mind.org.uk or call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.
Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).
“It has taken a real battering.
“I have questioned everything! Ha. Since Tuesday, I’ve changed careers. Moved countries. Deleted every app from my phone.
“Decided I’ve failed as a mother. A wife. A friend. You name it , I’ve thought about it.
“Why can’t I just be sick like a normal person?! Ha.”
FRANKIE’S OPENNESS
During chart star Frankie’s stint in the I’m A Celeb jungle in 2021, fans were left in tears at her confessions on her mind health.
After she told how she was hospitalised for a breakdown aged 21, her campmate Matty Lee asked what the turning point was in her recovery.
Frankie opened up on husband and former footballer Wayne Bridge and said: “Because I was with Wayne, I still remember being in the shower, and thinking, I love him, we’d spoken about marriage and kids and stuff, we had a beautiful home, I had a career I’d always wanted, but I just knew I was fundamentally unhappy.
“And that was when I realised that something just really wasn’t right. It was almost being happy made me realise I was unhappy, which is probably really hard for people to understand.”
Frankie then got emotional explaining how the thought of starting with a family with Wayne is what helped turn her around.
She added: “My main reason for wanting to get better was because I knew I wanted kids. I was like, I can’t be like this if I want to be a mum.
“I knew I needed to sort myself out. So that was my main reason for wanting to get better.”
She also addressed her medication in camp and told how she “would love not to” have depression and anxiety.
Since then, the popstar has opened up on a particularly tough therapy session.