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

Tanya Bardsley has bravely spoken out about her three suicide attempts.

The former Real Housewives of Cheshire star, 41, believes she attempted suicide when GPs’ antidepressants “excited” the chemicals in her brain before being diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 40.

Speaking to GB News, Tanya confessed that there was always “something different” about her and that she often wondered why she found it difficult to mingle 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 about me that was different, I just couldn’t fit in and I’ve always wondered why everyone else found life so easy and I found everything so hard, just a list of tasks.

“It messed up the chemicals in my brain!” Tanya Bardsley has revealed she attempted suicide three times when GPs “thrown” her antidepressants before diagnosing ADHD

Brave: Speaking to GB News, Tanya admitted that she was always “a little different” and often wondered why she had trouble mixing with people

“I wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until my 40th birthday and it all kind of made sense, but before that I’d been seeing doctors for the last 20 years because of crippling anxiety and anxiety.

“All the doctors and GPs just threw me antidepressants, which of course is like giving flu pills to someone with a broken leg.

“It messed up the chemicals in my brain as well as the ADHD, leading to a breakdown.

“It was like living with 17 TVs in my head at once and I tried to commit suicide three times.

“Fortunately, I’m very, very bad at taking my own life, thank goodness. I’m laughing 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 agony she endured at the hands of cruel thugs that led her to want to take her own life.

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

She told Esther and Philip: “I’m really, really, really passionate about trying to raise awareness and just trying to spread the word and help other people.

Terrible: Role model Tanya previously spoke about the agony she endured at the hands of cruel bullies who made her want to take her own life (pictured in 2021)

“The waiting lists are so long for people to be diagnosed, two to seven years. Seven years is just so long.”

When asked why diagnosis tends to take longer in women, she replied: “Boys are usually picked up because they’re more disruptive, but there’s also the inner side, the inner turmoil, the rushing in the head.

“We’re better at masking it and we don’t bother the teachers and everything so much, 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 kind of fall under the radar.”

She added: “I’ve been studying the mind a lot so I get hyper focused. I used to focus a lot on bad thoughts, which we used to think was trying to complete suicide.

“Now I’m trying to steer away and focus on the positive and when I’m hyper focused I can get a lot done and then I’ll just lay in bed for a couple of days just totally burned out.

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

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

The influencer recently explained how the bullying and her frequent changing of schools as the family moved due to her father’s work in the army made her very insecure.

Speaking to Johnny Seifert on the Secure The Insecure podcast, Tanya said, “I tried to take my own life. I tried to kill myself three times when I was younger. Luckily I failed every time, which I’m so glad about.

“But I jumped in front of a car at the time and I managed to get out of the way and thank God because I just dread thinking about what that poor guy would have been through if he had hit me.

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

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

Couple: Tanya is married to former Manchester United footballer Phil Bardsley