Denise Welch 'in therapy' over regretful decisions she made "when children were small"

Loose Women star Denise Welch, 62, on the lessons in life she has learned - often the hard way - as she shares in her own words...

I’ve suffered depression for over 30 years.

I call it the ‘unwelcome visitor’. It doesn’t matter whether I’m happy or sad, weighed down by problems or fine, he turns up anyway and plunges me into a deep depression, sucking away my joy and draining the colour from my life.

I hate him.

My biggest regret is not giving up drink sooner.

Alcohol ruined my life for 15 years. Being an alcoholic doesn’t always mean hiding bottles of gin, drinking in the morning and knocking back vodka in the car.

I wasn’t someone who drank every single evening.

My problem was being unable to admit to myself that I didn’t have an off