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Love Island star Maura Higgins says discussing her mental health issues publicly for the first time felt like ‘a burden had been lifted’.
The TV personality previously admitted she struggled with “dark thoughts” after leaving her native Ireland and moving to London, where she quickly built a career in media.
During an emotional interview with Paul C. Brunson’s We Need To Talk podcast in October, Higgins, 34, said she was thrust into the public eye with “no one to trust” after her first appearance on Love Island in 2019 .
But she believes the decision to discuss her mental health struggles so openly has been beneficial, despite her initial fear of opening up.
She told Heart radio: ‘I was absolutely terrified to talk about my mental health. I can be a bit of a closed book about things like that, but I’m glad I did it.
“I was very, very nervous about doing it, but now I think, ‘Oh my God, I should have done that a long time ago.’ It’s like a weight is lifted.
Love Island star Maura Higgins says discussing her mental health issues publicly for the first time felt like a ‘weight had been lifted’
During an emotional interview with the We Need To Talk podcast in October, Higgins admitted she struggled with “dark thoughts” after leaving her native Ireland and moving to London.
‘I think it’s good to talk like everyone else says, but it really helps a lot. You know, it’s just good to open up about every little thing in your life.”
Higgins also credited her mother Sharon with giving her a chance to release when she’s feeling down.
She said, “Mom has always been a great support, bless her, that woman is like my therapist. She needs to hear it all.
“But it’s good, it’s good to have that close relationship so you can just talk about what you want and let it all out.”
Speaking in October, Higgins admitted she “didn’t want to be here anymore” after struggling to adapt to life outside the Love Island villa.
‘Everywhere I went, the paps chased me. I had no clothes. “I had a suitcase of nothing but Love Island bikinis that were probably crunchy,” she said.
‘I had nothing, nothing at all. I lived in a hotel in London because that’s where all my work was and it was very congested. There was no break.
“It went from one thing to another, from the radio to this photo shoot until you signed a contract with brands.”
But she believes the decision to discuss her mental health struggles so openly has been beneficial, despite her initial fear of opening up
Appearing on Paul C. Brunson’s podcast in October, Higgins broke down in tears and admitted she “didn’t want to be here” after her sudden fame on Love Island.
She added: “I had a breakdown. I had dark thoughts, very dark thoughts. And it got to the point where I don’t think I even told my mom. I tell my mother everything. I didn’t tell her how bad it was.
‘I didn’t want to be here anymore. I thought that would be for the best.
‘So much was expected of me. And being there alone, I thought, ‘I just don’t have anyone to help.’
The TV personality, who finished in fourth place in the fifth series of the British show in 2019, is now the social media ambassador for Love Island USA.
She has since appeared on Dancing on Ice, This Morning and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
‘I had nothing, nothing at all. I lived in a hotel in London because that’s where all my work was and it was very congested. There was no break
Higgins became a household name after appearing in ITV2 show Love Island in 2019 (pictured)