Tanya Bardsley reveals she attempted suicide three times as GPs ‘threw’ her antidepressants

Tanya Bardsley has revealed that she has attempted suicide three times before.

The former Real Housewives of Cheshire star, 41, believes she attempted suicide because antidepressants from GPs ‘upset the chemicals in her brain’, before she was diagnosed with ADHD aged 40.

Speaking on GB News, Tanya confessed there was always ‘something different’ about her and she often wondered why she had trouble getting along with people.

During a virtual appearance on Saturday Morning with Esther McVey and Philip Davies, the model explained how the discovery made everything in her life “clearer.”

She said, “All my life I just knew there was something different about me, I just couldn’t fit in and I always wondered why everyone found life so easy, and I found everything so hard, just a list of tasks.

“I wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until my 40th birthday and everything seemed to make sense, but before that I’ve been to doctors for the last 20 years about crippling anxiety and inner restlessness.

‘All the doctors and general practitioners threw me antidepressants, which is, of course, like giving flu tablets to someone with a broken leg.

“So that upset the chemicals in my brain, as well as the ADHD, which caused me to collapse.

“It was like living with 17 TVs in my head at the same time, and I tried to kill myself three times.

“Fortunately, I am very, very bad at trying to take my life, thank goodness. I laugh about it now, but it’s no laughing matter. I’m just trying to see the funny side.’

Role model Tanya before spoke of the torment she endured at the hands of vicious bullies that made her want to commit suicide.

The television personality, who is married to soccer player Phil Bardsley, said she threw herself in front of a moving car when she was younger.

She told Esther and Philip, “I’m really, really passionate about trying to raise awareness and just trying to get the word out and helping other people.

“The waiting lists are so long for people to be diagnosed, two to seven years. Seven years, it’s just that long.’

When asked why the diagnosis usually takes longer in women, she replied: ‘Boys are normally picked up on because they are more disruptive, but there is also the more internal side, the inner restlessness, the noise in the head.

“We’re better at masking it and we’re not so disruptive to teachers and stuff, we’re not a problem for anyone.”

“And we’re not good at talking about it and telling people what’s wrong with us, so we sort of fall under the radar.”

She added, “I’ve been studying the mind a lot, so I get hyper-focused. I was always hyper-focused on bad thoughts, which we used to think made me enjoy suicide.

“Now I try to steer clear and focus on the positive and when I’m hyper-focused I can get a lot done and then I just lie in bed for a few days, just completely burned out.

“The turning point in my life was just being diagnosed and just knowing and being aware of it so that I know when to rest, I know what tools to use.

“So I just think it’s really, really important to get the message out. Some people may not be depressed, they may not be anxious, maybe it’s just undiagnosed ADHD.”

The influencer recently explained how the bullying, and the fact that she often had to change schools because his family moved because of her father’s work in the army, made her feel very unsettled.

In conversation with Johnny Seifert on the Secure the insecure podcast Tanya said, “I tried to take my own life. I tried to commit suicide three times in my younger years. Luckily I failed every time which I am so happy about.

“But I jumped in front of a car that time, and I managed to swerve out of the way and thank God I can’t bear to think what that poor fellow would have been through if he had hit me.

“I think the universe has bigger plans for you and maybe I had to go through that too.”

For confidential 24/7 support in the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit a local Samaritans office, see www.samaritans.org for details.