Vicky Pattison opens up about mental health and 'cathartic' alcoholism documentary

Vicky Pattison has revealed she had "a bit of a breakdown" a few years ago during a particularly intense period of work and at the end of a "very toxic relationship".

The 34-year-old former Geordie Shore star told Mail Online her breakdown came when she was "desperate for a break" after filming a series in Australia and leaving the relationship.

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Pattison said producers told her they needed another series of the show and would just replace her if she wasn't able to return to filming.

"I just felt so undervalued and in essence replaceable. And I had bit of a breakdown," said the star.

She added: "I just knew there was no one looking after us and I didn't feel strong enough to look after myself and it was awful. That was a real low point for me."

Pattison is now working on a documentary for Channel 4, in which she deals with issues around alcoholism and discusses her fear that she would end up like her alcoholic father.

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"There was so much I didn't understand about my dad's illness, and what he'd been through, what I'd been through," she said.

"I think with trauma you push it down, you compartmentalise, but this documentary forces us to process stuff that had remained dormant for quite some time so it's incredibly cathartic and I hope it helps people like it helped me."

Pattison said she has been working on her mental health in recent years, but that some people always want to remind her of some of the things she did on Geordie Shore a decade ago.

"Whenever I put up something positive or really motivational or quite progressive on my Instagram, there's always some k***head who goes: 'Aren't you the same girl who did XYZ on Geordie Shore?'," Pattinson said.

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She added: "It's predominantly men who are really desperate to keep you small, and I'm not small.

"I'm really proud of everything I've done and the person I'm growing into, so I'm not going to let anyone hold me back."

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