Kathy Burke wanted to take her own life during menopause: ‘It was quite frightening’-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Kathy Burke has candidly spoken about her experiences with depression and menopause (Picture: Getty)

Kathy Burke has opened up about her battle with depression and admitted she considered taking her own life during menopause.

The 58-year-old star struggled with ill health, having been dependent on steroids for 17 years, and reaching menopause meant her mental state deteriorated, while she couldn’t start hormone replacement therapy (HRT) due to clashes with her other medication and found herself contemplating suicide.

Speaking to the Observer, she said: ‘I started to have pretty dark suicidal thoughts. I’ve always had bouts of depression, but this was something else entirely. I don’t mind telling you that it was quite frightening, how I felt.’

During this time, Kathy was scared not of dying, but rather feared for whoever had to find her body and how traumatised they would be.

‘I hit upon the idea of “Oh, I’ll go to a nice hotel that’s got a separate bedroom.’ You know, get a suite. Get a suite,”‘ she laughed, before composing herself and getting serious again.

She continued: ‘And then I would have just left a note on the bedroom door, telling the chambermaid to not come in, get the manager, get the police.

Kathy is ‘so glad’ she didn’t take her own life (Picture: GORC/GC Images)

‘It was weird, it was sort of, once I’d made that decision, I could relax. You know? And then once I was relaxed… Then the depression started to lift a wee bit.’

Now, Kathy is in a better place and she’s ‘so glad’ she didn’t take her own life during such a difficult time.

‘Oh but I’m so glad I didn’t kill myself during menopause,” she says. “Because that would have been, “Well, she killed herself because she was so miserable.” You know? And to end feeling miserable? That would have been a bit of a shame,’ she said.

‘But listen, that didn’t happen. I came through the other side, and I’m f**king delighted I did.’

Davina McCall has encouraged a conversation around the menopause (Picture: Nick England/Getty Images)

Experts have said there are 62 symptoms to look out for, ranging from chest pain, skin issues and crying to brain fog, anxiety and low moods.

Around 13 million women are currently going through perimenopause or menopause in the UK, and the conversation has opened up with stars like Davina McCall leading the charge.

Ahead of World Menopause Day on October 18, the former Big Brother host appeared on Lorraine to chat about her Channel 4 documentary Sex, Myths And The Menopause, which aired last year.

And in her new book, Menopausing: The Positive Roadmap To Your Second Spring – with Dr Naomi Potter – Davina reflects on how so many people feel alone while going through that period in their lives

‘I felt like I was disappearing, and my world was getting smaller and smaller, and I felt very lonely and like I had no one to talk to,’ she admitted.

MORE : The link between menopause and dementia in women, and why it’s so important

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