Sophie Turner Says She Thought About Suicide a Lot Growing Up

In an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw, Sophie Turner spoke candidly about her mental health struggles while growing up in the Game of Thrones spotlight. The British actress appeared on the talkshow host’s podcast, Phil in the Blanks, and revealed that at 17 she began to feel depressed and thought about suicide.

Turner, who plays Sansa Stark on the hit HBO series, told Dr. Phil that she would feel withdrawn and didn’t want to see her best friends. The actress also said that during this time she would get hung up on reading negative comments on social media about her weight, body and acting. “I think it contributed [to my depression]... It was definitely a catalyst,” she said, adding that she became insecure about filming angles and even requested the show’s costume department to tighten her corset.

Dr. Phil then asked Turner if she had ever thought about suicide, and whether it seemed like a good option at the time of her depression. “Yeah,” Turner responded, explaining that even when she wasn’t depressed, growing up she would think about it a lot. “I don’t know why [I thought about it]. Maybe it’s just a weird fascination I used to have, but yeah, I used to think about it. I don’t think I ever would have gone through with it. I don’t know.”

Turner, now 23, says that she’s feeling much better; she’s been attending therapy and is currently on medication for her depression. With Game of Thrones coming to an end this year, the actress (whose next film, Dark Phoenix, hits theatres this summer) says she’ll be taking a break from the spotlight to focus on her mental health and figure out what her hobbies are, some of which she discusses in the video below.