Yahoo News Liam Payne opens up about mental health battle during One Direction
Liam Payne has opened up about the effect being in One Direction had on his mental health, with the star confessing that being one fifth of the biggest band on the planet took a toll on his wellbeing.
Liam, who shot to fame on The X Factor when he was just 17 years old, even admitted to struggling to go on stage at times – adding that he would fake a smile for the fans.
![Liam has opened up about his mental health battle. Copyright: [Rex]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/NxFANz2uTMEJqXGkoBXYDQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcyMA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/14088475e85d3253c38cfb6f453161b3)
The father-of-one explained: “I shouldn’t have been able to do as many shows as we did, if I’m honest about it, if I’m brutally honest about it.
“Going out and putting that happy smile on my face and singing the songs, honestly, sometimes it was like putting on one of those costumes, going out there and, underneath the costume, people don’t really see what’s going on.”
Liam previously hit the headlines when One Direction’s concert was cancelled at short notice – with it being reported at the time that the singer wasn’t well.
![One Direction achieved staggering success. Copyright: [Rex]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/LvEBuVF73J9BNIjaCfALYg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzOQ--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/11ad51799a73dd3ae67b840df8ad1cf2)
However, he has now revealed that it was actually because he hit an incredibly low point in his life after splitting from girlfriend Sophia Smith.
He told The Sun: “I let it get to me that day. I wasn’t in a good place. And unfortunately I was going through a rough time and I let it get to me a little bit too much. That was it.
“The more we did, I just don’t think we stopped and celebrated enough how great things were and I think that’s what got on top of us in the end. It was like, ‘Oh, you’ve just won three EMAs, but get on the plane and go to the next place.'”
![Liam is now loved up with Cheryl, who he has baby Bear with. Copyright: [Getty]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/tMFExnpyWNBA8eNSbLeo9w--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/5ce237038d9b616e72430b123f6d8ef9)
Liam also added that he and his bandmates, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan, “needed” their hiatus at the end of 2015 in order to find their “love” for the band again.
All four members of the band have now enjoyed success as solo artists, as well as Zayn Malik who quit the group in March 2015.
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