Andrea McLean Opens Up About Secret Battle With Postnatal Depression

Andrea McLean has opened up about her secret battle with postnatal depression that happened after she gave birth to her daughter ten years ago.

The Loose Women panelist admitting that she was fighting the serious mental health condition for two long years before she finally sought professional health, revealing that she was ashamed and wanted to hide the illness.

Speaking on Loose Women earlier today, Andrea explained: “I had postnatal depression for two years before I finally went to the doctors. It’s something I suffered from and hid.

"I’ve been working on this show for nine years now and I had it while I was on this show. A lot of people obviously see me and I’ve been in hair and makeup and I’m all professional and I do my job smiling, interacting, being interested but what I was doing was sobbing all the way home.”

The 46-year-old gave birth to Amy in 2006 and she worryingly shared that she was so low at some points that she genuinely believed that her family would be better off without her.

Also mum to fifteen-year-old Finlay, Andrea added: “I felt that my family would be better off without me. I felt that my daughter would be better off without me.
"I was so ashamed of how I was feeling and then when I tried to talk about it with various people in my life at the time, [they said] ‘What have you got to moan about? Your life is amazing.’”

Andrea was on anti-depressants after being diagnosed with the illness and thankfully said that she now knows how to care for her mind to prevent her from dipping back into her low moods.