Audra McDonald is sharing one of the hardest moments of her life. At an event for the Hope for Depression Research Foundation in New York City, the award-winning actress and singer spoke openly about a suicide attempt she made when she was 20 years old and studying at Juilliard.

Now 55, she said she hopes her story helps others who are struggling.

McDonald explained that she had dreamed for years of singing on Broadway.

When she arrived in New York to study music, she thought she was closer than ever to that dream. But she quickly began to feel lost.

According to People, she said the school tried to shape her voice in a way that didn't feel like her own, and the pressure left her feeling confused and worn down. "I was too proud to admit that I was falling apart," she said.

During her speech, McDonald recalled how anxiety and depression grew stronger during her time at the conservatory.

She said the stress "scrambled" her thoughts and made her feel like her mind was working against her.

She hid what she was feeling, even from friends, until one night she reached a breaking point. She called the school's Student Affairs director and asked for help. "She saved my life," McDonald said.

Audra McDonald Says Medication Saved Her

McDonald spent the next month at Gracie Square Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in New York City. She said the stay was confusing and painful, but also the start of her healing, Yahoo reported.

She wanted people to understand that needing medication at that time kept her safe. "It was the darkest time of my life," she said, "but it was also the beginning of my healing."

Years later, McDonald walked by the same hospital while pregnant with her second child.

She said she would look up at the windows and think about the young woman she used to be.

Seeing herself older, expecting a baby, and moving forward showed her how far she had come. She called each walk past the building "a love letter to survival."

McDonald shared that healing takes time and patience, and that it isn't a straight line.

She also said it is important to remember that "depression lies," making people believe they are a burden when they are not. Asking for help, she stressed, is the bravest thing a person can do.

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Suicide