Sophie Turnerhas spoken about her mental health in a candid new interview, saying that she has stepped away from showbiz and acting to take care of herself. The 23-year-old actress was making an appearance on Dr Phil's podcast Phil in the Blanks on Tuesday, when she spoke about the impact of negative criticism - about her part as Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones - has had on her self-esteem. The star also spoke about her "destructive" friendship with her co-star and on-screen sister Maisie Williams - who was "going through the same thing" - and added that the both of them didn’t socialise for a couple of years.
'I've suffered with my depression for five or six years now. The biggest challenge for me is getting out of bed and getting out of the house. Learning to love yourself is the biggest challenge,' Sophie, who is in therapy and on medication, said. 'It's weird. I say I wasn't very depressed when I was younger, but I used to think about suicide a lot when I was younger. I don't know why though.’
'I have a friend, Maisie who was on the show with me, she's just a year younger than me and we were growing up together,' she added. 'She was my best friend, and she was the only one I really told about everything. Maisie and I used to do it [stay inside] together. I think being friends with each other was quite destructive because we were going through the same thing. We would get home from set, go to a Tesco, a little supermarket, across the road and just buy food. We'd go back to our room and eat it in bed. We never socailised for a couple of years.'
Sophie also told listeners how she is feeling better due to medication and therapy - along with the support of her fiance Joe Jonas. 'I love myself now, or more than I used to,' she noted. 'I'm now with someone that makes me realise, you know, that I do have some redeeming qualities, I suppose, and when someone tells you they love you every day, it makes you realise why that is, and I think it makes you love yourself a bit more.'
Speaking of social media trolls, Sophie said, 'I would just believe it. 'I would say, "Yeah, I am spotty. I am fat. I am a bad actress." I would just believe it. I would get [the costume department] to tighten my corset a lot. I just got very, very self-conscious.'
If you have been affected by this story, and are in the UK, call The Samaritans at any time, from any phone for FREE, on 116 123 or call Mind's Infoline from Monday to Friday on 03001233393 or text 86463.