April Rose Pengilly says trolls have made her fear picking her phone up - in case she has been sent a "horribly jarring personal attack".
April Rose Pengilly
The 'Neighbours' actress - who plays Chloe Brennan in the Australian soap - admitted she is "very sensitive" to social media comments, and isn't sure what she is going to see when her mobile phone beeps with a notification.
She said: "Every time my phone goes off, I don’t know if I am going to pick it up and find a nice message from a friend or a notification about a shoe sale or a horribly jarring personal attack.
"I am very sensitive and I do take it on. Sometimes it can hit a bit close to home."
The 32-year-old actress finds it "strange" that dealing with horrific social media comments has almost become something which those in the public eye are expected to "develop a thick skin" in order to face nowadays.
Speaking to Australia's The Daily Telegraph, she added: "It is just so ugly what people can say online.
"It is horrible to read that kind of vitriol.
"It really shouldn’t be part of the job. It is such a strange thing that it has now become accepted that if you are doing some sort of job in the public eye, you should deal with it and develop a thick skin. It is not OK."
April's comments come after her co-star Sharon Johal hit back at trolls who had criticised her over her character Dipi Rebecchi's affair with Pierce Greyson (Don Hany).
She wrote on Instagram: "to those trolling me direct, please remember that I am an actor playing a role in a story I did not create or have any control over. Also there are two people who have messed up in this situation, not just the female. Stay calm folks! STAY CALM! There are bigger things happening in the world! (sic)"