Gillian Anderson Opens Up About Battle With Depression

Gillian Anderson has revealed that she's struggled with depression for a long time.

In an interview with The Guardian, Anderson, who released a self-empowerment book entitled We: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere on March 7, 2017, discussed the role that depression's played in her life.

"There were times when it was really bad," the X-Files star, 48, said. "There have been times in my life where I haven't wanted to leave the house."

Anderson, who revealed her bisexuality to Out magazine in 2012, told the publication that she's been in therapy since she was 14 years old. At the time, she'd been voted "Most Likely to Get Arrested" by her high school classmates, a title that she soon proved to be true after breaking into the school in an effort to glue the locks shut.

When the interviewer expressed suspicion that Anderson went beyond the typical teenage rebellion, Anderson remained mute on the subject. Regarding her addiction issues, she admitted there were "quite a few," but she didn't elaborate. "I would have put them in the book if I wanted to talk about them out loud," the actress stated.

But, luckily, Anderson, who's had a tense relationship with her X-Files costar David Duchovny, has found ways to cope with her depression besides her routine therapy sessions–specifically, through meditation.

"All I know is that when I meditate, one goes beyond the physical, and it is possible to tap into a sense of absolute contentment and joy in that place," Anderson said, explaining that her physical body means nothing in comparison.

The Fall actress hopes that her book, We: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere, will help other women find the strength to deal with their own personal issues. "I have struggled with self-esteem myself," she told The Guardian, "and in looking at the ways that I have dealt with overcoming those things, I started to think that maybe some of it might be potentially useful for other people of all ages."