Carol Vorderman reveals menopausal depression left her feeling suicidal

Warning: This article contains topics that some readers may find distressing

Carol Vorderman has opened up about how depression caused by the menopause left her feeling suicidal.

The former Countdown star appeared on Lorraine this morning (Wednesday May 10) to talk about her struggles with menopausal depression. Carol revealed she didn’t have the typical menopause symptoms and so assumed she could get over her low period by powering on and working on other projects. However, the presenter soon developed severe depression, which she described as a consuming “blackness”.

Carol explained: “This was a blackness where I would wake up and I would feel I don’t see the point in carrying on. There was no reason to feel that way. Nothing else was going wrong. I am a very lucky women.

“The only reason I didn’t do anything is because I have two children. I would lie there for weeks and I would just want this feeling to stop and would do anything to make it stop. If it wasn’t for my children I suspect we wouldn’t be talking today. I was in the blackest black.”

The 56-year-old had not realised the depression was caused by menopause until analysing her electronic calendar. Carol discovered she was particularly low for two weeks of every month, which was in line with her menstrual cycle.

She told host Lorraine Kelly: “I booked to see a professor who deals with hormones and he gave me these gels which you put on your arm every day. From the moment I took them I never felt that way again. I still get angry and upset but there’s a reason for all those things but there wasn’t before.”

The former I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Outta Here! contestant concluded her interview by stressing the importance of openly discussing menopausal depression. She said: “It’s so important we do talk about it. I really feel for women who are going through it. This was just an hormonal unbalance. We should be talking about it. People need to get help.”

Lorraine continues weekdays at 8:30am on ITV.