Bridgerton star Ruby Barker has candidly revealed her struggles with poor mental health since appearing on the hit Netflix series.
The actress, 25, shared on Thursday that she had been hospitalised amid a "mental health struggle" and confessed to carrying the "weight of the world on my back" at one point.
Ruby, who plays Marina Thompson on the period drama, also thanked Netflix bosses for "saving her" during the brave and honest video shared with her Instagram followers.
Speaking to her 231,000 followers on the social media platform, the star told her fans she is "taking a little break", after feeling "really unwell for a really long time".
After introducing herself and asking her followers how they are, Ruby went on to say: "I am better, I have been really unwell for a really long time. I want to be honest with everyone. I have been struggling.
"I am in hospital at the minute and I am going to be discharged soon and hopefully get to continue with my life.
"I am going to take a little bit of a break for myself and I would encourage others, if you are struggling, do yourself a favour and take a break, stop being so hard on yourself."
The actress then went on to explain some of the feelings she has experience during her struggles.
"I was raged-filled, angry, all this intergenerational trauma bundled up inside me," the Netflix star continued.
"I was carrying the weight of the world on my back and now I am at the point where I have a diagnosis, I am drawing a line in the sand.
"I can't carry on the way that I was, I need to change so that is what I am trying to do. I want to survive and I will survive, I am going to."
The young star went to shout out musical artist Sexton - singing lyrics from one of the American singer's hit songs and crediting the performer's music for helping her in her recovery.
Ruby concluded her brave update by thanking her friends and family for supporting her through her mental health battle, in addition to praising streaming giant Netflix for giving her an opportunity and "saving her".
Captioning the video to her Instagram followers on Thursday, Ruby wrote: "Mental health week is every week for me. Off my chest. I feel like I’ve not been completely honest so this is for my followers.
"Time to be transparent. I’ve been struggling since Bridgerton, this is the truth. Thank you all for supporting me, your love holds me up. #mentalhealthawareness."
Celebrities and famous faces were amongst the hundreds to wish the star well and praise her for opening up about her experience.
Sexton - who Ruby namechecked in the video - commented: "I love you so much for this I’m so sorry for late reply!!! Keep shining beautiful I’m learning all of us with a lot of talent have been very hard on ourselves at some point but I learned to switch up my perspective and it took the weight off my shoulders. Love you."
Kerry Katona left a trio of love-heart emojis underneath the Bridgerton star's update, while one fan wrote: "Thank you so so much for your transparency. It is so important. I’m so glad you are better."
Ruby rose to fame at the end of 2020, when the first season of Bridgerton dropped on Netflix and became one of the platform's biggest hits of all time.
The actress plays a Featherington cousin from a family of rural gentry in the steamy period drama, and has won praise and recognition for her portrayal of the character.
*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk
