“Light follows the dark”: Rebecca Gibney opens up about mental health in candid new post

Beloved Packed to the Rafters star Rebecca Gibney has long been admired for her warmth on screen, but the 60-year-old New Zealand–born actress is once again reminding fans that even the brightest personalities can carry deep private pain.

In a moving new Instagram post, Rebecca opened up about anxiety, past struggles, and why sharing our truth may help save lives.

In her latest Instagram post, Rebecca Gibney revealed she had been shaken by conversations with two people who recently lost close friends to suicide.

“Over the last 48 hours I’ve had two people share with me that they have recently lost close friends to suicide and are attending funerals over the coming days,” she wrote. “I didn’t know either of the friends but it really affected me as it’s been a subject that is coming up over and over again.”

Rebecca reflected on her own history with mental health, noting she has “struggled with severe anxiety and panic attacks for most of my life.” As a teenager growing up in Wellington, she was “erratic, impulsive, prone to rages and was bored easily,” eventually leaving school at 15. Acting, she says, offered her purpose.

But even as her career flourished, the darkness deepened. “In my early thirties I had everything… But deep down I was spiralling,” she shared. Panic attacks became constant, and the self-loathing overwhelming.

“My pain was so deep I didn’t know how to deal with it. I just knew I wanted it over.”

It was only when she began writing a letter to her mother that a realisation struck: “She would never understand and would never get over losing me. It made me stop. I was lucky. I got help.”

Rebecca has spoken previously about the roots of her anxiety, describing a childhood marked by her father Austin’salcohol-fuelled violence toward her mother, Shirley. Despite therapy and a successful career, she admitted her mental health took a turn earlier this year: “Suddenly the panic returned, the stress, the sadness – and I found myself back in the pit of self doubt, fear and anxiety.”

Reaching out once again changed her course. “I picked up the phone and made a call that would change my life. I got help and treatment and I am back doing what I love.”

Her message to others is simple but urgent: “We ALL mask our pain but we all also feel it. You’re not alone… Light really does follow the dark. Hang in there.”

Rebecca ended her post by encouraging anyone struggling to “pick up the phone or go online” and reach out to one of the many support organisations available.

If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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