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Adam Collard has admitted he was ‘addicted to painkillers’ and suffered with ‘depression’ as he candidly opened up on Instagram on Friday.
The former Love Island star, who is expecting his first child with fiancée Laura Woods, revealed he has had the ‘hardest year of my life’.
Adam explained how he felt ‘lost’ as he ‘struggled with his mental health’ and started taking painkillers and sleeping pills.
He wrote: ‘2024, the hardest year of my life. I’ve seen lot of amazing 2024 posts over the last few days…but if you’re struggling right now, remember that Instagram is a highlights reels, and if you’re struggling you aren’t alone.
‘This year was tough, tougher than any before… Struggled with my mental health more than ever. Lost something important. Struggled with injuries.
‘Suffered with addiction to painkillers and sleeping pills and justified it as “it doesn’t affect fitness” or because it wasn’t booze.
Adam Collard has admitted he was ‘addicted to painkillers’ and suffered with ‘depression’ as he candidly opened up on Instagram on Friday
The former Love Island star, who is expecting his first child with fiancée Laura Woods, revealed he has had the ‘hardest year of my life’
‘Got diagnosed with depression. Prescribed anti-depressants. Lost family. Drifted from certain friends. Tried to reach out to people and failed. Felt lost.’
He continued: ‘But with all of those things, 2024 was also the greatest year of my life. Remember you are always strong enough to reframe things and change the outcome.
‘2024 was also the year I… Started therapy and got over the fear of it. Travelled with people I love. Understood myself better and began to like me more.
‘Reflected on things I’m proud of. Developed stronger friendships. Made up with lost family. Proposed. Signed new contracts with brands I love. Went back on TV.
‘Got rid of people holding me back. Built a bigger business. Found out I was oging to be a dad, The highlight. Felt more love than ever.’
He concluded: ‘It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. But if you feel like you’re losing everything, remember that trees lose their leaves every year and they still stand tall and wait for better days to come. Stay strong x’
Several of Adam’s fans and close celebrity friends quickly took to the comments to send their love to the fitness influencer.
Laura said: ‘Proud of you. You’re going to be the most amazing dad x’
Adam explained how he felt ‘lost’ as he ‘struggled with his mental health’ and started taking painkillers and sleeping pills
Adam also gushed that 2024 was the year he proposed and found out he was to become a dad
The reality star reminded his 1million followers to ‘stay strong’ and that not everything is ‘sunshine and rainbows’
Several of Adam’s fans and close celebrity friends quickly took to the comments to send their love to the fitness influencer
Wes Nelson wrote: ‘What a man. Love you brother’, while Laura Anderson added: ‘Amazing Adam. All my love’.
Ashley James penned: ‘You’ll help so many men by saying this. I’m glad you’re on a good path.’
Adam and TNT Sports presenter Laura, 37, have been together since October 2023 and announced last year that they are expecting a baby, with wedding plans also in motion.
It comes after the couple, who recently worked out together, announced their engagement in September when Adam got down on one knee at the beach in St Ives.
Alongside snaps of the special moment, Laura wrote: ‘And just like that… You make me happy. Thank you @carbisbayestate – the place we fell in love and now the place we got engaged, you made it so special. What a summer x.’
Sharing his own gallery of photos from the proposal, Adam gushed that Laura is his ‘whole world’.
Captioning the string of shots, he wrote: ‘a story from tulum…’
He wrote: ‘From dates & daiquiri’s to a Fiancé & a sprog on the way, our very own little team. My whole world. Always. @carbisbayestate where it really all began, the only place to do it x’
The couple’s celebrity pals including Manchester City footballer Jack Grealish, Piers Morgan and Love Island’s Chloe Burrows rushed to the comments to congratulate the pair.
In one snap, Laura held her hands to her face in shock as Adam proposed on the beach before the pair were seen hugging in another photo.
Adam and TNT Sports presenter Laura, 37, have been together since October 2023 and announced last year that they are expecting a baby, with wedding plans also in motion
The couple announced their engagement after Collard’s beachfront marriage proposal in September
Sharing photos of the moment, Woods wrote: ‘And just like that… You make me happy. Thank you @carbisbayestate – the place we fell in love and now the place we got engaged, you made it so special. What a summer ‘
Laura couldn’t contain her smile as she showed off her dazzling engagement ring in a number of social media snaps
Laura couldn’t contain her smile as she cosied up to her new fiancé while showing off her dazzling engagement ring to the camera.
The exciting news comes after Laura made her surprise pregnancy announcement, by sharing her first glammed-up snaps to her Instagram.
Underneath the trio of pictures, Laura wrote: ‘Entering the mummy era thanks to my love @makeupwithjourdan for making me feel like myself again! Come and join me at 9pm on @eurosport 1 & @discoveryplusuk tonight for all the Olympic chat you need in your life’.
Laura took to Instagram to share her happy news with her more than 700,000 followers. Posting a snap of her French bulldog and a sonogram which she and Adam held, Laura wrote in the caption: ‘Hey baby.’
Adam and Laura went public with their romance in October 2023, after the sports presenter ‘accidentally’ posted a slew of later-deleted loved-up snaps.
Last year, Adam wished his girlfriend a happy birthday with a gushing message and a sweet album of snaps.
The Love Island star took to his social media to share an array of adorable black and white photographs to celebrate Laura turning 37.
Laura, who played a key part in ITV’s coverage of Euro 2024, looked happier than ever as she beamed into the camera.
Adam, who starred on Love Island in 2018 and 2022, also appeared on Celebs Go Dating last year, but he met Laura through cheekily sliding into her DMs.
The reality TV lothario proved the couple’s relationship has blossomed ever since as he dubbed Laura a ‘rockstar’ with a cute post on her birthday.
The reality star opened up about how the pair got to know each during an appearance on a an episode of the Getting Lippy Gossip Show in December.
He said: ‘I’d followed her on Instagram because I’d seen a Lionesses game or something like that and then I DMd her because she put like a funny meme on her story.
Adam and Laura went public with their romance in October 2023, after the sports presenter ‘accidentally’ posted a slew of later-deleted loved-up snaps (pictured May 12)
‘I will hold my hands up, yes I acknowledge that even though she’s had my life about this a lot of times.’
That same month, Adam told OnlyAccounts.com: ‘I’m protective, whether it’s Laura, or my family, my friends. I want to get married. I want to have kids as well. I’ve always thought, what type of person will I be? How can I protect my kids?
‘Obviously I’ve never had a kid, but I don’t think I’ll be plastering it all over [social media]. I want them to have a fair fight and a chance not to be judged straight away.
‘As long as my really close circle knows exactly who I am, I don’t care. I think you have to take everything with a pinch of salt.’
Adam added that he is not concerned about the eight age gap between himself and Laura, saying: ‘We are not necessarily the average everyday couple.
Since going public, the couple have not shied away from giving an insight into their romance, with both posting snaps of each other on Instagram.
The couple went on a lavish holiday to Mexico in March, after they went skiing in the French Alps with a group of friends in February.
Adam shared a slew of smitten snap with his girlfriend from their romantic trip to Tulum, Mexico.
The Love Island star and the sports presenter looked utterly besotted with each other in the sun-soaked shots.
One photo saw a shirtless Adam plant a kiss on a bare-faced Laura as they lounged on the beach.
Captioning the string of shots, he wrote: ‘a story from tulum…’
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org