Helen Flanagan opens up on struggle with postnatal depression and OCD in honest post

Helen Flanagan revealed she suffered frompostnatal depression andOCD as she opened up on her mental health struggles.

The formerCoronation Street star, 33, spoke publicly about how she needed therapy for the conditions in an honest social media post shared onWorld Mental Health Day. Helen, who rose to fame playing Rosie Webster on the Cobbles, was praised by her fans for being brave in opening up on her struggle and for helping to ‘normalise mental health problems’.

The actress, who has daughters Matilda, eight, and Delilah, five, and son Charlie, two, with her footballer ex Scott Sinclair, took to Instagram on Tuesday to share an image of her breastfeeding her youngest. Despite looking happy and well in the picture, Helen revealed she was actually struggling at the time.

She wrote: "Mental health. It's important to talk and know your not on your own and to be kind, kind as you can as life is so complicated. I struggled badly with post natal after Matilda and with Charlie x Matilda I was really unwell with after, I struggled really badly with OCD and intrusive thoughts and had CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) for a good year x."

She added: "I found an amazing book by @bryonygordon 'No such thing as normal' and I'd really recommend it x A good therapist can really help and I feel lucky I've always been able to speak to my mum and had good friends x you're not on your own x chose this pic as even though I didn't look it I had bad post natal with Charlie x."

According to the NHS, postnatal depression is a type of depression that many parents experience after having a baby. It is said to be a common problem, affecting more than 1 in every 10 women within a year of giving birth, and can also affect fathers and partners.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), meanwhile, is a type of anxiety disorder. According to mental health charity Mind, perinatal OCD is when you experience OCD during pregnancy or in the first year after giving birth.

Mind says OCD has two main parts: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, urges, worries or doubts that repeatedly appear in the mind. Compulsions are repetitive activities that a person carries out to reduce the distress and anxiety caused by obsessions.

Helen’s fans responded to her post to thank her for being so honest and open about her struggles with postnatal depression and OCD. One said: "I wish therapy was more accessible, NHS is so limited and private is so expensive. Thank you for normalising mental health problems."

Another added: "So brave Helen I had post Patrum ocd it is the worst thing Iv ever been through." A third said: "Thank you for sharing. I had postpartum depression and the intrusive thoughts, luckily the intrusive part only lasted a few weeks but I thought I was going mad."

A fourth commented: "I suffered with perinatal OCD… intrusive thoughts & extreme anxiety. It was debilitating. I also was lucky enough to have CBT and a fantastic therapist but I wish there was more than could be done to highlight and support perinatal and postnatal mental health."

Meanwhile, earlier this week Helen opened upabout her love life as a single mum – admitting she found it 'difficult'.

Speaking to OK! on the red carpet at Sunday night'sPride of Britain Awards, the mum of three told us she was still adjusting to life as a single woman, following the end of her relationship with footballer Scott Sinclair.

She said: "It's quite difficult, I think. I was with Scott for 13 years. When you go from such a loving relationship, it's quite new grounds."

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