Natalie Anderson's anxiety has been "horrible to live with at times".
Natalie Anderson
The former 'Emmerdale' star tries to be a "happy-go-lucky kind of girl", and while "deep down" she has worries now and again, she is pleased people are speaking more openly about going through mental health issues.
She said: "I always put a smile on and tried to be the happy-go-lucky kind of girl, but deep down, it has been horrible to live with at times.
"No one really spoke about anxiety or depression or mental health issues, but this last decade has changed that so much."
But Natalie has found going to the gym helps.
Speaking to HELLO! magazine, she added: "It helps me switch off from everything else and I find it really vital."
In October, the 39-year-old star - who has nine-year-old son Freddie - admitted she felt "frazzled" during lockdown when she was juggling home-schooling and running her business, as well as being a mum and a wife.
She said: "I found it very hard to be home-schooling, running a business, being a mum and a wife - it left me frazzled.
"But I have a very open relationship with my son and we talk about mental health.
"Often he'll sit next to me and read his book, and I'll have my candle burning."
Natalie - who played Alicia Metcalfe in 'Emmerdale' - admitted her son was partly the reason she decided to grow her fashion, beauty and lifestyle business, The Capsule, after he cheered her up when she hadn't been successful in landing an acting role.
She added: "I'd not got an acting job and I was upset about it, but Freddie said, 'Mummy, I don't know why you're so upset because you're already the boss of The Capsule.' "