Loose Women panellist Linda Robson has told how Stacey Solomon helped her to rehab after suffering a “meltdown” during a trip to Ibiza with her co-stars.
The Birds Of A Feather star recently revealed that she had turned to alcohol after suffering with severe obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression.
Linda has now opened up about the breakdown she suffered 18 months ago during the ITV stars’ “girly holiday” in the hope that she encourages others to get help.
In an interview with The Sun, she revealed that concerned co-stars Stacey, Nadia Sawalha, Andrea McLean, Kaye Adams and Saira Khan had surrounded her while curled up in bed, “in a terrible state, crying my eyes out”.
Linda said: “From the day I got there, I just wanted to go home because my anxiety was so bad.
“I’d sneaked a couple of bottles of vodka with me, just to knock me out at night, but it wasn’t working.
“I’d already had a couple of sleepless nights and, by the third, I ended up having a proper meltdown.”
Things were so bad Stacey then flew back to London early with Linda and helped her family get her into rehab.
She said: “I was in a terrible state, so we played games on her phone just to try to distract me.
“I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do? Where am I going?’ I was scared, embarrassed and ashamed because my kids had been told their mum was in a state and needs help.”
After stays in a number of different clinics, Linda later discovered her erratic behaviour was being caused by a rare allergic reaction to an anti-depressant.
Linda previously revealed she had been drinking to “self-medicate” before seeking treatment, and now hasn’t touched alcohol in 11 months.
She took a year off from her role on Loose Women as she recovered and returned to ITV daytime show last month.
Useful websites and helplines:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on www.rethink.org.