Emily Atack, 29, was initially known for playing Charlotte Hinchcliffe on the E4 comedy series The Inbetweeners and then her career took off in another direction. Last year she appeared on ITV One’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and became an instant hit with the public, finishing in second place behind Harry Redknapp. The former Jungle contestant brought warmth and positivity to the camp but she has been through some dark moments in her life too.
How to tell if you have depression
Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms but there are some consistent warning signs that may signal depression.
“They range from lasting feelings of unhappiness and hopelessness, to losing interest in the things you used to enjoy and feeling very tearful. Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety,” said the NHS.
Depression can also manifest itself physically too, causing constant tiredness too, disturbed sleep patterns, a loss of appetite or sex drive, and various aches and pains, explains the health site.
The severity of the symptoms can also vary, and at its mildest, you may simply feel persistently low in spirit, while severe depression can make you feel suicidal, that life is no longer worth living.
The former I’m A Celebrity contestant revealed that she is finally “med-free” after taking antidepressants for three years but also attributes her recovery to her experience in the jungle.
Most people with moderate or severe depression benefit from antidepressants, but not everybody does.
“You may respond to one antidepressant but not to another, and you may need to try two or more treatments before you find one that works for you,” explained the NHS.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is often used alongside antidepressants to treat more moderate to severe forms of depression. CBT aims to help you understand your thoughts and behaviour, and how they affect you.
As the NHS explained: “CBT recognises that events in your past may have shaped you, but it concentrates mostly on how you can change the way you think, feel and behave in the present.
“It teaches you how to overcome negative thoughts – for example, being able to challenge hopeless feelings.”