Denise Welch has opened up about her struggle with postnatal depression after she gave birth to her son Matt Healy, singer of The 1975, in 1989.
Mum-of-two Denise, 59, opened up to Kate Thornton in an interview for BUILD LDN about how she suffered from PND after the birth of her first son.
She broke down in tears as she emotionally revealed that the illness robbed her of her ability to love her son.
WATCH: Denise Welch reveals why her son Matt Healy wrote a song about her depression
She said: "When Matthew was born I had an immediate rush of love like you expect to have for your child.
"And when the depression set in I lost the ability to love him because it robs you of every emotion... I didn't have any feeling for anything."
She held back the tears as she explained that her son, who is in the band The 1975, was then spurred on to write a song about the struggles she'd faced.
READ MORE | Do I have postnatal depression? Causes, symptoms and treatments
The song, entitled She Lays Down, was inspired by Denise's admission to her son Matt that she used to lay down next to him as a baby and pray to feel something.
The former Coronation Street actress confessed: "I told Matthew that I used to lie down next to him and pray - I'm not religious - but pray to something to help me regain the love for my child."
Denise then turned to the audience and encouraged them to help others who they felt were in need.
She said: "The message I want to give to people is - with the right help, it will lift. The sun will come out again and you will love again. Please don't do anything drastic."
**Have you or a loved one ever suffered from postnatal depression? Let us know over on **Facebook and Twitter.
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Abigail James' top 7 tips for healthy skin in winter
1 of 71. Say goodbye to unnecessary chemicals
"Some fragrances and colours are skin irritants and have no actual benefits for the skin - they simply look and smell nice. "According to the research almost two thirds of British women are concerned about the chemicals in their personal care products so my advice would be to avoid unnecessary chemical ingredients and look for shower gels and deodorants that are kinder to skin - such as the Sanex Zero% range which is formulated with 0% colourants, 0% soap and 0% parabens."
2 of 72. Avoid low fat diets
"When it comes to holistic health, achieving a healthy balance is really important. Choose healthy fats for healthy cell function – this can be added into your diet through foods such as avocadoes, fish, nuts and seeds and plant oils such as flax and hemp. "Another tip is to ditch the processed margarines. If you're going to have butter then make it organic natural butter which has less synthetic ingredients."
3 of 73. Try light exercise
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4 of 74. Get an early night
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5 of 75. Reduce sugar intake
"A high intake of sugar can cause an inflammatory reaction within the skin resulting in a whole host of skin conditions, from acne and rosacea to premature ageing and dry skin. "A little treat every now and then won't hurt, but try to keep an eye on your sugar levels if you're looking to keep skin healthy."
6 of 76. Curb the caffeine
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7 of 77. Skincare shouldn't stop at your face
"There can often be a temptation to focus on the health of the skin on our faces but we must remember that the whole body is covered in skin which is the largest organ of your body – so we need to make sure we are giving it the care it deserves."Our skin absorbs a percentage of the products we apply, so choose products that are gentle on skin with natural moisturisers."