Gibney, who won two awards for her role in Channel 7’s Packed to the Rafters last night, thanked her mum for helping her after her tumultuous childhood with a violent alcoholic father.

"A few years ago I had a bit of an emotional collapse and I sought out a psychologist who I saw for a couple of years and went through some issues and fortunately I’m doing great now,” she said.

"There were some very, very black days and all I can say is that I dug myself out of them, and the good thing is that if I ever go into a black hole, I know I can get myself out."

Gibney said the attacks started when she was 14 and continued until the birth of her son, Zac, five years ago.

"I guess being a bit older, I’m 44 now, and things that used to worry me don’t bother me so much anymore.

"I’m not really concerned how the world perceives me anymore; I’m quite comfortable in my own skin.”

Gibney encouraged people to speak out about mental illness and depression to work through their issues and move forward.

"I think more and more people need to talk about it, a lot of people do suffer from mental illness or any kind of anxiety and I think it’s important to talk about it,” she said.

By Anne Wright

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/gibneys-depression-battle/
story-e6freq7x-1225708388654