Tanya Bardsley reveals she attempted suicide three times as GPs ‘threw’ her antidepressants

Tanya Bardsley has revealed that she previously attempted suicide three times.

The former Real Housewives of Cheshire star, 41, believes she tried to take her own life when doctors’ antidepressants “disturbed the chemicals” in her brain, before being diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 40.

Speaking on GB News, Tanya confessed there was always ‘something different’ about her and that she often wondered why she had a hard time mixing with people.

During a virtual appearance on Saturday morning with Esther McVey and Philip Davies, the model explained how the discovery made everything in her life ‘clearer’.

She said: ‘All my life I knew there was something different about me that I just couldn’t mix and I always wondered why everyone else found living life so easy, and I found everything so hard, just a to-do list.

“It wasn’t until I was 40 that I was diagnosed with ADHD and it all made sense, but before that, I’ve been going to the doctor for the past 20 years for crippling anxiety and inner restlessness.

“All the doctors and GPs gave me antidepressants, which of course is like giving someone a broken leg flu pill.

“So that messed with the chemicals in my brain, as well as ADHD, which caused me to have a breakdown.

“It was like living with 17 televisions on in my head at the same time, and I tried to kill myself three times.

“Luckily, I am very, very bad at trying to take my own life, thank God. I’m laughing about it now, but it’s no laughing matter. I’m just trying to see the funny side.

Role model Tanya formerly she spoke of the torment she suffered at the hands of cruel thugs who left her wanting to take her own life.

The television personality, who is married to footballer Phil Bardsley, said she threw herself in front of a moving car when she was younger.

She told Esther and Philip: ‘I’m really, really passionate about trying to raise awareness and just trying to get the word out and help other people.

‘The waiting lists are so long for people to be diagnosed, anywhere from two to seven years. Seven years is too long.

When asked why diagnosis tends to take longer with women, she replied: “Boys are normally picked up because they’re more disruptive, but there’s also the more internal side, the inner restlessness, the noise in the head.”

‘We’re better at masking it and we’re not that disruptive to the teachers and everything, we’re not a problem for anyone.

“And we’re not good at talking about it and telling people what’s wrong with us, so we kind of go under the radar.”

She added: ‘I studied the mind a lot, so I was very focused. I used to focus too much on bad thoughts, which used to lead me to attempt suicide.

“Now I’m trying to step away and focus on the positive and whenever I’m hyperfocused, I can get a lot done and then I’m lying in bed for a couple of days, completely exhausted.

‘The turning point in my life was just being diagnosed and just knowing it and being aware of it so I know when to rest, I know what tools to use.

“So I think it’s very, very important to get the message across. Some people may not be depressed, they may not be anxious, it may just be undiagnosed ADHD.”

The influencer recently explained how the bullying, as well as her need to change schools often due to her family moving due to her father’s job with the military, made her very uneasy.

Talking to Johnny Seifert in the Insure the insecure podcast, Tanya said: ‘I tried to take my own life. I have attempted suicide three times in my younger years. Luckily, I failed every time, which I am very happy about.

“But I jumped in front of a car at that particular moment, and I managed to swerve out of the way and thank goodness because it terrifies me to think what that poor guy would have gone through if he had hit me.”

“I think the universe has bigger plans for you and maybe I had to go through that too.”

For 24/7 confidential support in the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.