Yahoo News Stephanie Davis shares reason for Hollyoaks break
Note: The following article contains discussion of themes including suicide that some readers may find upsetting.
Stephanie Davis has explained her on-screen absence from Hollyoaks in an emotional social media post.
The actress, who plays Sinead O'Connor on the Channel 4 soap, recently assured fans she hadn't left for good.
However, in a devastating social media post to her We Are Simply Complicated Instagram page on Saturday (December 14), Stephanie revealed that a suicide attempt was the actual reason behind her Hollyoaks break.
Stephanie also shared a video taken at the time when she was struggling, explaining that "it's really hard to watch".
Related: Hollyoaks star Stephanie Davis addresses Sinead's on-screen absence
"I haven’t been back to work because the real truth is I relapsed & tried to kill my self," Stephanie wrote.
"This was a suicide video I was leaving behind saying I’m sorry & cannot continue. I can still feel the pain in my chest when I watch this, it’s really hard to watch."
The star went on to explain that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and high-functioning autism.
She added: "I'm still battling but I needed to get this off my chest. If I wasn't in the public eye, I would be dealing with this with my family and loved ones, but I feel I need to be honest because the pain I've been through has been so unbearable that I have to help other people...
"Thank you to all those who follow me and who have supported me. I'm back to not the old Steph, but the funny Steph everyone knew and loved but 10000x better."
Hollyoaks airs weekdays on Channel 4 and E4.
We would encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Organisations who can offer support include Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org) or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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