Denise Van Outen reveals she's battled 'hormone-related depression' - as she joins her friend Meg Matthews in urging women to talk more openly about the menopause
- The 42-year-old Loose Women star told her 286,000 followers on Instagram that she's recently suffered from 'hormonal-related anxiety and depression'
- Denise shared an image of herself with Meg Matthews who's heading a campaign to encourage more women to speak out about the life change
- Pair had 'long discussion' about importance of talking openly about symptoms
Denise Van Outen has revealed a recent battle against 'hormonal-related anxiety and depression', telling her Instagram followers: 'It's a horrible place to be'.
Supporting her friend Meg Matthew's campaign to discuss going through the menopause more openly, the 44-year-old Loose Women star urged other women going through similar hormone-related difficulties not to 'suffer in silence.'
Denise, who has a daughter Betsy, eight, with former partner Lee Mead, said she'd shared a long discussion with Matthews about the menopause and used the hashtags #perimenopausal, #menopause, #megsmenopause.
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Denise, 44, revealed to her that she's recently suffered from hormonal-related anxiety and depression as she supported her friend Meg Matthews' campaign to get more women to speak out about the symptoms of the menopause
Matthews, 51, has been vocal in urging women to speak up about their symptoms and has frequently detailed her own, on her website Megsmenopause.com.
The Instagram post showed a photo of the two stars promoting the site in front of a wall of pink and white flowers.
Van Outen wrote to her 286,000 followers: 'Had a very long discussion with @megmatthewsofficial_ about the menopause and the symptoms women suffer and feel too shy, embarrassed or confused to talk openly about.
She said her friend was on 'a mission to help the sistahood' and revealed: 'I’ve experienced hormonal-related anxiety and depression recently and it's a horrible place to be. Don’t suffer in silence.'
MailOnline has contacted Denise for further comment.
Matthews, the ex-wife of Oasis rocker Noel Gallager, has been passionate in her campaign to stop people shying away from discussing the menopause openly.
The PR told Lorraine last year that she developed social anxiety from the menopause, and was unable to leave the house for two months - while also suffering from a low libido.
The 51-year-old said going through the menopause made her feel 'very alone', and like she was 'falling apart'.
Amazing: Denise Van Outen showed off her incredible bikini body in a multicoloured two-piece on Sunday as she soaked up the sun in Dubai
Loved-up: The television personality with her boyfriend Eddie Boxshall
Detailing her difficult start two years ago, she explained: 'It wasn't like hot sweats and flushes, I woke up with anxiety.
'I had headaches, migraines and even nausea. My breasts swelled, I ached when I got out of bed, but I was too scared to tell anyone. I just thought, "Oh my god, I'm falling apart".'
Last month, Van Outen celebrated her 44th birthday with a star-studded celebrity bash in Essex and a holiday in Dubai. Denise's sun-drenched break came after she partied the night away in Chigwell's Sheesh nightclub.
The television personality moved in with her boyfriend Eddie Boxshall earlier this year.
Fun time: Ahead of her sun-soaked getaway Denise partied up a storm in her native Essex with a slew of celebrity pals as she celebrated her 44th birthday
Amazing: Denise took to Instagram throughout the evening to document her special day in style
Denise and Eddie have been together for more than four years after she mended her heartache following the split from her ex-husband Lee Mead, the dad of her seven-year-old daughter Betsy.
She said on Loose Women last month: 'After four years finally me and Eddie are moving in together. It's happening!
'I sold [my home] and he has his house up for sale. We got the keys three weeks ago... I've sold my place and moved my furniture into the new place.'
But the TOWIE narrator, whose divorce from actor Lee was finalised in 2013, admitted that having a man about the house will be something of an adjustment.
She explained: 'We've just started unpacking. I've moved my furniture in, because I've sold my place, but he's going, 'Denise? What about this chest of drawers? What about this bed?' And I'm looking at pictures like, 'Oh I don't like it.
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