Jess Wright makes devastating confession about postnatal depression struggle
Jessica Wright has shared her experience with postnatal depression following the birth of son Presley in May 2022 in a bid to reduce the stigma around maternal mental health
Jess Wright has opened up about suffering from 'debilitating' post-natal depression following the birth of her son three years ago. The TOWIE star said she wanted to challenge the taboo of maternal mental health in a new film for BBC Morning Live, which she said was 'extremely triggering' to make.
In May 2022, Jess welcomed her son Presley with William Lee-Kemp, and began to develop depression in a way she had 'never' experienced before. In the film, set to air today, she said: 'It was debilitating, I couldn't enjoy anything with my new son and I wanted the world to stop so I could get off.'
One in five women develop a mental illness during pregnancy or in the first year after childbirth, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Jess said that the topic was 'extremely close' to her heart, adding: 'When @bbcmorninglive and I discussed exploring maternal mental health, as hard as I knew it was going to be, it was never a question in my head, the answer was always going to be yes.'
In the film, the 39-year-old says: "Since my mid-20s I've lived with depression and anxiety. I take medication which generally keeps it under control. However, a few days after I had my son Presley I developed depression in a way I'd never experienced before.'
Jess explained that she was not given clear advice about her medication during her pregnancy, saying: 'It was quite a grey area when I was pregnant, about the medication that I'm on, whether I should come off it when I'm pregnant.' She adds: "Having a baby is wonderful but also tough for many people. But knowing where to turn for support has helped me feel better prepared if I decide to have another child."
Less than two years after Presley's birth, Jess and William went through a difficult period after learning that their son had a rare heart condition which would require him to undergo open heart surgery. In an interview with OK! Jess said: 'The world just stopped moving for me.'
Receiving the news that Presley had a Bicuspid Aortic Valve, a congenital heart disease, was 'tough'. Jess said: 'Just before his second birthday, we took him for a routine appointment about what we thought was a chest infection and the doctors said they had found a heart murmur. They said it was likely to be nothing to worry about, and common in a lot of children, but to get it checked anyway.'
A month later, their fears were confirmed when the doctor revealed that Presley had a problem with his heart. 'We just sat there and you could see from the doctor's face that he was about to tell us something really big and life-changing,' she said.
'I just dreaded what was going to come out of his mouth, and then, lo and behold, the words 'open heart surgery' came out. It was extremely tough and something that we're still taking our time to get over and used to - I'm not sure we ever will. I just remember sitting in between my mum and my husband and thinking, 'I'm going to fall on the floor'. I couldn't even kind of hold myself up.'
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[sic] Last week, James' former Miss Sweden ex took to Instagram to pen a lengthy statement, saying that she is still 'wounded inside', and accusing James of causing her 'targeted emotional distress.' Nicoline, 32, suffered several injuries to her neck, arms, hand and leg in the assault, and a two-year restraining order is in place now meaning he's banned from contacting her. She wrote: 'It's now been a month. I still can't believe it. My fractures on my body have finally healed but I'm wounded inside. I've been quiet long enough. Silence protects no one - and it almost destroyed me. 'What started as a love story sadly turned into something else. Behind the pictures, promises and the plans for a life together - the beautiful days - changed into something into sadness with emotional manipulation and eventually physical harm. Captioning his post, James shared his appreciated to Megan for allowing him to be there on her big day, noting they'd always 'supported' each other since their TOWIE days Meanwhile, Megan shared the love in return, commenting: 'Thankyou so much, this is so lovely. What a night, your a special friend' [sic] 'I loved deeply, believed in our future and stood by someone I thought would protect me and instead I was left alone and harmed in ways I never imagined. 'I was not only failed by him but deeply affected by the presence of unresolved ties to his past. 'Yes I posted an Instagram story with a simple yes or no question about if your ex should be a part of your present relationship. I felt there were too many people in our relationship: me, my boyfriend and his ex. ''Three's a crowd'', they say. 'I asked so many times if we could be just the two of us, but the answer was a strong NO. I experienced what I can only describe as targeted emotional distress which he allowed to continue. 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After accepting the suspended sentence, it has been claimed that James has moved on from the lawyers who represented him and hired a new legal team. The lawyers have not been named and it marks his third legal team since the May 5 assault in Spain. A legal source told the publication: 'The individual who was convicted has appointed a new barrister and solicitor.' Nicoline Arthursson's statement... 'It's now been a month. I still can't believe it. My fractures on my body have finally healed but I'm wounded inside. I've been quiet long enough. Silence protects no one - and it almost destroyed me. 'What started as a love story sadly turned into something else. Behind the pictures, promises and the plans for a life together - the beautiful days - changed into something into sadness with emotional manipulation and eventually physical harm. 'I loved deeply, believed in our future and stood by someone I thought would protect me and instead I was left alone and harmed in ways I never imagined. 'I was not only failed by him but deeply affected by the presence of unresolved ties to his past. 'Yes I posted an Instagram story with a simple yes or no question about if your ex should be a part of your present relationship. I felt there were too many people in our relationship: me, my boyfriend and his ex. ''Three's a crowd'', they say. 'I asked so many times if we could be just the two of us, but the answer was a strong NO. I experienced what I can only describe as targeted emotional distress which he allowed to continue. 'Everybody knows that real friends support you and want to see you happy. 'So I posted a story on Instagram. After being together for one year my boyfriend finally promised me that he would have boundaries. 'He would put a stop to all that had been going on for months. But he didn't. Instead he broke the promise and her controlling behaviour continued. The rest is history. 'I was brutally thrown out of our new home in the middle of the night wearing only my pyjamas. I opened the door to let him in and only minutes after I found myself laying down on the stairs outside our house. 'My clothes and belongings were being thrown out from the balcony down on me. I was injured. 'Thanks to incredible neighbours who heard and saw what happened and acted, I got help. They called police, brought me to safety and ensured the incident was taken seriously. 'A gentleman does not abuse you and end up in jail and call you the love of his life. A gentleman does not blame you for his actions. 'A gentleman will confide in his partner, family and close circle of friends, keeping them close and safe. A gentleman chooses you always and leaves the past in the past - including exes. 'Life is to be lived together and not to please people who want to take advantage of you. At the end of the day, fame can only do so much - it's all about being strong and growing together. 'Life is simply not a reality TV show, life is real. 'I have tried to understand why. I have cried so many tears thinking about the way he chose to hurt me. He said he loved me and I believed him and here we are. 'There is now a legal record of what happened. Violence has no excuse - no matter how much love preceded it. 'To those who questioned me for staying as long as I did: I stayed because I believed in love. I believed he and we could grow, could heal, could choose peace. But love doesn't survive in chaos. And it cannot survive where violence lives. 'To every woman reading this: if you've ever questioned your worth, your safety or your sanity in a relationship - this is your sign. You deserved to be loved with care and integrity. And you are not alone. 'To the men: real strength is protection. Real love is safe. Be the kind of man who lifts women up - not one who breaks them down, neither by violence or silence. 'To the future: never say never. I will get the little family I've always dreamed of and have my dream wedding to symbolise and celebrate true love in front of my dear family and friends. 'I'm healing now. Slowly, bravely and unapologetically. I will rise and I will use my voice - not for vengeance but for truth. For every woman who's been silenced by someone who said 'I love you' and then proved otherwise. 'This is not just my story. It's a reminder: abuse - whether emotional, psychological or physical - has no place in love.' James has been ordered to attend a rehabilitation course aimed at addressing gender violence, and his new lawyers may work with him on the terms of this course. MailOnline contacted James' representatives for comment at the time. Court papers obtained by The Sun showed James - who raked in £5,000-a-week last year - was only required to pay Nicoline a shockingly low £250 in damages. James has reportedly insisted he's 'feeling good' as he took to the stage at Olivia's La Cala restaurant in Costa del Sol, Spain - close to where he attacked his ex Nicoline. James' ex-girlfriend Nicoline was left with cuts and bruises to her neck, arms, hand and leg after the fall, according to a court filing. Prosecutors were reportedly pushing to charge James with wounding, which carries a jail sentence of up to nine months. However, the ex-reality star eventually agreed to the lesser offence of mistreatment as part of a plea deal. James was handed a six-month suspended sentence and a restraining order that prevents him from contacting Nicoline for a two-year period. The attack took place at the couple's beachfront home in the early hours of May 5, reportedly after a dispute about James' friendship with ex-girlfriend Lydia Bright. James was reportedly seen flinging clothes belonging to Nicoline from the balcony of their home before aggressively escorting her to the front door. She was then allegedly pushed down some steps in front of the couple's house before falling on the concrete patio. Nicole received treatment from medics at a nearby hospital, while James was arrested shortly after midnight. The suspended sentence means James could still face a jail sentence if he reoffends - and he also has to attend a 10-week-long domestic violence course.
