Christina Applegate explains 'I don’t enjoy living' comments after worried fans react
Christina Applegate addressed recent remarks that she made about struggling with her mental health amid her battle with multiple sclerosis.
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Christina Applegate is clarifying recent comments that she made about struggling with her mental health amid her battle with multiple sclerosis (MS).
During the June 4 episode of her "MeSsy" podcast, which she co-hosts with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, the 52-year-old "Dead to Me" actress shared that she was "in a depression."
"Like a real, f--- it all depression where it's kind of scaring me a little bit because it feels really fatalistic. I'm trapped in this darkness right now that I haven't felt like... I don't even know how long, probably 20 something years," said Applegate, who first revealed her diagnosis with the chronic disease in 2021.
"This is being really honest... I don't enjoy living. I don't enjoy it. I don't enjoy things anymore," she added.
In the latest episode of the "MeSsy" podcast, Applegate reassured fans who were concerned about her well-being and said she was "very disturbed" by the "clickbait" about her remarks.
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"I'm good. Does that take a little bit of the pressure off of all of you? I'm good," Applegate said.
"Let's address it," said Sigler, who is also battling MS.
"We are going to address it," Applegate said. "I was talking about some dark stuff I was thinking and feeling."
"This is our safe place to get those things out," she continued. "Because I feel that when we hold things in, we give them power. I also think that there's so much shame that a lot of people feel when they're going through mental health issues, and they call them issues."
"I hate that," the actress added. "It's not mental issues. It's not a problem. It's a moment. It's a thought. It's a feeling. And when people hold those in because they're so afraid to say how they truly feel, we give it immense power."
The "Married… with Children" alum said she believes "society has told us that we're supposed to be just f------ fine."
"And I am not into that," Applegate said. "I am not a proponent of that kind of thing. I think that it's incredibly healing and important to be able to express the thoughts, whether that makes someone uncomfortable or not, to be able to say it."
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Following her remarks, the Emmy Award winner said she began receiving text messages from people who were worried about her and had to reassure them that she has "beautiful people around me and beautiful support systems."
However, Applegate expressed her fear that the outpouring of concern might make others more reluctant to express their feelings.
"By making such a big deal about it you’re making other people think, ‘Oh, s---, I can’t talk about this.’ And that is not OK with me," she said. "It’s important to be able to say these things. And, no, I’m not sitting here on suicide watch, OK? I am not. Nor have I ever been."
"I dare anyone to be diagnosed with MS or any kind of chronic illness that has taken who you were prior to that moment and go, ‘This is great,'" she continued. "You know? No, you have moments of feeling, ‘This is tiring and I don’t wanna do this.’ But you do it, and by having friends like you and my beautiful friends that I have saying this s--- out loud, it releases the pressure in the balloon."
Applegate revealed her diagnosis on X, formerly Twitter, in 2021.
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"Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS," she wrote.
"It's been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition," Applegate continued. "It's been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some a--hole blocks it."
In a separate post, she added, "As one of my friends that has MS said, 'We wake up and take the indicated action.' And that's what I do."
In her first lengthy in-person interview since she found out about the illness, Applegate opened up about the "hell" she has been living in.
"I live kind of in hell," she said during a "Good Morning America" interview in March. "I’m not out a lot, so this is a little difficult, just for my system. But of course, the support is wonderful, and I’m really grateful."
Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.