Carol Vorderman has opened up on feeling suicidal while experiencing the menopause.
The former Countdown star, 62, says she struggled with "severe depression" in 2015. She admitted she would have "really, really black" thoughts for a couple of weeks each month, even though there was "nothing wrong" in her life. The presenter has opened up on her own experiences, to show how truly "horrific" the experience can be for women.
"When I went through it I had severe depression for about six months. I think it was 2015," she shared. There was nothing wrong in my life, I had made a lot of money, my kids were fine, my mum was fine. There was no problem. And yet I would wake up in this huge bed in this huge house, I've got a swimming pool outside and all of that, and I just thought 'what's the point?'
"I understand much more now [about] clinical depression, where you go: 'I can't go through this again, how can I make this stop', and those thoughts of 'well, there is obviously one way to make this stop'," she bravely said on the Postcards from Midlife podcast. Carol added: "Even when I was hosting Loose Women, which was 10 years ago, it was only acceptable to say 'ooh, I'm having a bit of a moment' and make light of yourself when you're going through this.
"It's not always horrific for people, but you can have horrific days. Now, thank God, women are going: 'No, stuff that, this is what's happening, I need help in the workplace, I need to be able to hear from people who are doing this'. Because it was a patriarchy — you know, 'women, they just go crazy and they say crazy things.' 'We're driving a horse and cart through that old-fashioned society attitude to women going through the menopause."
Last year Carol shared her experience on This Morning as part of their Menopause Bus. She said: "I had hormonal depression for a while during the perimenopause. It was horrific to the point of feeling suicidal. I've never even had anxiety in my life before other than for a specific reason (bullying or harassment). BUT this was in the years when women were meant to shut up and stay silent. Well I didn't. I sought a doctor as I'd self diagnosed that the deep depression was linked to hormones.
"I was right. The Professor I saw gave me some bio identical hormones (all now available on the NHS) and within 48 hours the depression lifted and I have never had those feelings since. I tell this story to help other women. You're not going crazy you are not worthless. If you're going through the menopausal years you merely have a hormonal imbalance which can be remedied."
While in March, the maths whizz hit out at Jeremy Clarkson after she spoke about the needs of menopausal women during a meeting of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, and was highly critical of the Minister for Women’s Health, Maria Caulfield. The former Top Gear host said that Carol has reinvented herself as a "anti-Tory, anti-sleeze warrior" in his column.
Carol took to Twitter to call Jeremy out, writing: "Well well. The known defender of women’s rights, Jeremy Clarkson, has a go at a woman again.
"Jeremy love, if I am disgusted at MPs fibbing & not turning up as they are meant to do, then I’ll be ‘disgusted’. Glad you used a nice photo tho or I might have been ‘mildly irritated’," she added.
*If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch
Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .