Gemma Styles has opened up about her battle with depression and how she once struggled with suicidal thoughts.
In her new book, Why Am I Like This?, the 33-year-old sister of pop star Harry Styles shares her deeply personal journey in hopes of helping others facing similar struggles.
Despite being "fiercely private," the writer told The Mirror that she wanted to break the silence surrounding mental health.
“One of the things shown to have the most positive impact on people having suicidal thoughts or in the depths of depression is to share stories when you go 'that happened to me. I felt like that, and I feel better now',” she explained.
Styles admitted that while she didn’t “actively want to die”, she “so badly wanted to opt out of what my life had become, it boiled down to the same longing.”
The podcaster, who welcomed her first child with partner Michal Miynowski earlier this year, said that while she currently feels good, she fears depression could return one day.
She continued: “In the back of my mind, sometimes I think that could happen to me again but I try not to dwell on it. I have come though it before and I could do it again.”
In February, the author announced that she had given birth to her first child following a secret pregnancy.
At the time, she took to Instagram to share the happy news along with pictures of her and partner with their newborn daughter.
She captioned her post: “Hello from maternity leave! Took some time off to ensure the safe arrival of our baby girl, who is adored by her whole family.
“I know that this news can be difficult for many people and I'm sending you lots of love.”
The pair have been together since 2015. One of their earliest dates was watching her younger brother Harry, 31, perform with his former boyband One Direction.
During the gig at the Apple Music Festival, Harry told the crowd: “I'm sorry if I seem distracted. My sister's here on a date, and I'm trying to keep an eye on it.”
