Ashley Tisdale "found [her] voice" through speaking about her mental health struggles.
The 34-year-old actress and singer released ‘Symptoms’, her first album in nearly a decade, earlier this year, and the record explores her battle with anxiety and depression.
Since releasing the album, Ashley has been vocal about her health battle, and now says talking about her experiences has helped her to find who she is.
She told Us Weekly magazine: "With my album ‘Symptoms’ and speaking about those issues of mental health that I’ve gone through, I really found my voice. Supporting people and making people feel less alone … is something I was really excited to be a part of because I want to make girls and young women just feel comfortable and know that it’s OK to ask the questions.
"There’s just a relief of being like, ‘I feel like I found myself’. I feel like I really got to know myself for the first time when I realised all of these things about me."
Meanwhile, the ‘High School Musical’ star recently said that whilst she still finds her mental health difficult to talk about sometimes, she’s starting to realise that her imperfections are what make her "beautiful".
She said: "It’s so easy for people when someone goes, ‘Does anyone have anxiety?’ Everyone at the table will go, ‘Yeah, I do.’ If someone says, ‘Do you have depression?’ Nobody really wants to take about it.
"There are so many times I’m at an event or even just at a social party and I feel like I’m not good enough to be there, and I feel that a lot of us struggle with that.
"I think for the first time, I’m really proud of who I am. I think that when you struggle with those things, instead of being like ‘Oh I hate that stuff,’ I really accept it. I think that’s what makes you beautiful, that you’re not perfect."
Ashley Tisdale found her voice through speaking about mental health
