Bella Thorne opens up about past mental health struggles with 'depression'

Bella Thorne has spoken candidly about her past mental health struggles, revealing that she experienced depression and suicidal thoughts while growing up and reflecting on the impact of her relationship with her mother, Tamara Thorne.

The actor, best known for playing CeCe Jones in the Disney Channel series Shake It Up, discussed her experiences during the latest episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast.

Speaking about her childhood and early career, Thorne said she faced significant emotional challenges.

"I think between everything, with a lot of the work and growing up and the way that I did, I struggled very badly with suicidal thoughts and depression," Thorne shared.

She continued, "And I thought at one point, if I had hurt myself then maybe she would see how much pain I was in."

Thorne explained that these experiences influenced her decision to leave her childhood home when she turned 18.

"I could feel the erratic-ness coming on again," she reflected. "Not having the space to actually talk about what happens when you turn 18. I think I was so scared and my mom was so scared. We were both so scared."

The Duff actor recalled moving out immediately with her then-boyfriend, actor Gregg Sulkin.

"I moved out that night with my boyfriend at the time," she said. "In a blink of an eye, I'm this one person, and moments later, I'm a completely other person, and I have no idea where to go or what to do. I don't have an ID. I don't have anything. I literally don't have anything."

Thorne has previously described her relationship with her mother as "fractured" during her younger years. In a 2019 interview with People, Tamara Thorne addressed their relationship, saying, "I love my family and unconditionally love Bella very much. My family always comes first, and they are my number one priority. Bella and I did have a falling out a few years ago, but we are on the mend."

During the podcast, Thorne reflected on how those experiences shaped her life, offering a personal account of the mental health challenges she faced while navigating childhood fame and family difficulties.