HELEN Flanagan has admitted her parents stepped in to look after her kids after she suffered a severe psychosis episode.
The former Coronation Street actress has spoken candidly about her mental health battles in the past, particularly the episodes of psychosis which left her "seeing things and feeling in danger."
Now Helen, 34, a mum-of-three, has given more detail on the impact on her family life.
Her rough patch came after her split with fiance Scott Sinclair, 35, in 2022.
The pair had been together 13 years, and share three children Matilda, eight, Delilah, six and son Charlie, aged three.
In the aftermath of the relationship breakdown Helen told how she had been struggling with her mental health.
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Yet now, on 's The Life of Bryony podcast, she has told how her mental health medication for her ADHD had sparked an intervention.
She said: "So when I was in my psychosis, I thought there was a man inside my house trying to break in my house with my kids.
"While I was driving home – it’s horrendous – I could have killed someone, I was driving, and because I was so bad on this medication, I thought there was somebody in my boot.
"I kept stopping my car all the time, because I can see someone jumping in my boot, because I was in a psychosis."
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Helen added: "I thought I could see someone, but my nanny came, and my mum had to take the children away from me.
"My mum and dad looked after my kids for about a month, and then sometimes they would sleep at mine, sometimes they would sleep at my parents, just till I just got myself, like, really good again."
Helen then told how she had to go into her children's schools to insist she was a "good parent."
The star, who recently featured on E4 reality series Celebs Go Dating, previously admitted she keeps a tab on her mental health.
Helen told the Daily Mail in a separate interview: "Sometimes I’ll be great for ages, like I felt quite good for the last few months, and then I do struggle, like a week ago.
"It’s up and down. I think I have everything under the sun – OCD, ADHD – but I think it’s important to talk about it, and if it makes people feel less on their own then that’s great.
What do we know about Helen Flanagan’s new boyfriend Robbie Talbot?
HELEN Flanagan has revealed that she is in a new relationship.
While appearing on Celebs Go Dating, she confessed that she was already taken - here's everything we know about her boyfriend Robbie Talbot.
Helen has opened up about her relationship with former footballer Robbie Talbot.
He is a decade older than the actress.
Robbie was born in Liverpool on October 31, 1979 which is how he earned his nickname Halloween Hitman in football.
He has played for a series of non-league teams such as Burton Albion, Burscough and Morcambe.
He then became a coach at Ashton in 2010.
Robbie is retired from football.
He left his role as Assistant Manager at Ashton due to family and work commitments in 2011.
It's unknown what he has done for work since leaving football.
Helen admitted that she was dating Robbie while appearing on Celebs Go Dating.
In a first for the show, it has been revealed that her relationship had to be written into the series due to requirements that those taking part have to be single.
The pair went public at her birthday party on August 10, 2024.
"I get people coming up to me and saying thank you and that makes it worth it."
She also told how her battle with OCD had left her convinced she had cheated on Scott - and would then have her kids taken away from her.
TRICKY SPLIT
The Rosie Webster star recently revealed the "real" reason for the break-up with her baby-daddy - this being the fact the pair simply didn't like each other.
Meanwhile, this week Rosie told how Scott has blocked her on social media - despite the pair co-parenting their brood.
She added the pair now "do each other's f**king heads in."
Yet the TV star has embarked on a happier chapter in her love life with new man Robbie Talbot.
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She had signed up to this year's Celebs Go Dating - but halfway through the process admitted she had a secret boyfriend.
Robbie ended up joining the show as they attempted to strengthen their new relationship with couples therapy.