While she’s known for her role as Alexa in Schitt’s Creek, Annie Murphy is opening up personally about her battle with depression.
The 34-year-old Canadian star told the Zoe Report that she got very depressed during the sitcom’s farewell tour in January 2020.
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“I think I have a big dose of my dad’s Irish melancholy,” Murphy said.
When the COVID-19 pandemic caused the shooting of her new comedy Kevin Can F--- Himself to be delayed two months later, Murphy flew home to Canada to stay with her parents. Her mother quickly noticed that something was going on with her daughter.
“My mom was like, ‘You’re crying 12 times a day hysterically, to the point where your teeth are chattering. That’s not normal,’” Murphy shared.
A therapist diagnosed Murphy with depression. “I was like, ‘Damn it, I’m depressed,’” she said. “Ugh.”
“A lot of people are going to think that I sound like I’m playing a tiny violin for myself,” she said. “‘Oh, you’re rich and famous. Why the f--- are you sad? You have nothing to be sad about. But I’m not going to post photos of me covered in my own snot, lying on the floor, unable to get up. I don’t want people to have to see that.”
Murphy says she is thankful her new series was postponed. She now knows she needed time to get the help she needed.
“As excited as I was to get this huge part on [“Kevin”], I do not think if I had gone to work when I was supposed to go to work, I would have been able to do my job,” she said.
Murphy now regularly attends therapy, and has started taking antidepressants.
Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-273-8255.