Former EastEnders star Luisa Bradshaw-White has disclosed that she spent time in a psychiatric facility and came close to losing her life whilst struggling with severe mental health difficulties.
The actress, now 51, revealed her harrowing experience in a social media post on Thursday, describing how she battled "really bad Bipolar and an extreme eating disorder".
Ms Bradshaw-White, best known for portraying Tina Carter in the BBC soap until the character's death in 2020, wrote candidly about her journey towards recovery.
"I also tried to suppress those big feelings and that led to a serious mental illness, psychiatric hospitals and something I nearly didn't survive," she shared with her Instagram followers.
The former soap star explained that attempting to contain her powerful emotions ultimately contributed to her breakdown.
However, the performer has now revealed that stepping away from the spotlight has enabled her to discover where she truly belongs.
"I used to be an actor so I had a place to put those big feelings, but it didn't feel like where I was supposed to be," she explained.
The star stated that she no longer attempts to conceal her intense emotions, recognising them instead as "powerful indicators for how to live my life fully".
Luisa Bradshaw White starred as Tina Carter in EastEnders from 2013 to 2020
|BBC
Ms Bradshaw-White described how approaching her feelings with curiosity and compassion allows her to emerge with fresh wisdom and greater self-understanding.
"I am not afraid of the dark," she declared, adding that she has finally discovered her place in the world after years of turmoil.
Since departing from her acting career, Ms Bradshaw-White has channelled her emotional intensity into an entirely different creative pursuit.
She now designs musical experiences for freeform dance sessions and breathwork ceremonies, drawing upon her profound feelings to craft these offerings.
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"I listen deeply to spirit to create waves of music to help me express all I feel about life and the life I have lived and all that wants to move thru my body," she wrote.
The former actress expressed gratitude at finding a community of like-minded individuals who share her desire to explore their emotions through movement and breathing practices.
"My favourite thing about my life now is that I have found people like me who want to come and dance and breathe to feel all this too," she shared.
Ms Bradshaw-White's television career began in 1988 with A Friendship in Vienna, and she subsequently appeared in programmes including Grange Hill, The Bill and Birds of a Feather.
Luisa Bradshaw-White has given up acting
|GETTY/IMDB
Between 2001 and 2005, she held a regular role in Holby City as midwife Lisa Fox before joining EastEnders in 2013 as Tina, the sister of Shirley Carter.
Her seven-year stint on the BBC soap concluded when her character was murdered by Gray Atkins after discovering he had killed his wife.
Followers have rallied around the former actress following her honest revelations, with one commenting: "I cannot imagine my life without you and your craft in it now."
Another supporter wrote: "I have big feelings too and I'm forever grateful that you came into my life and showed me how to feel them."