LeAnn Rimes' early career was shrouded in "emptiness and sadness" after she found fame at the age of 13.
The Can't Fight the Moonlight singer spent her teenage years in the spotlight, and had already bagged two coveted Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her cover of the Bill Mack song Blue by the age of 14.
Despite the success, the star struggled with her mental health, which proved an ongoing battle until she tackled it in her 30s.
"At first I didn't want to face my pain, because I thought I would get lost in it," Rimes told People. "But I didn't. People are so ashamed to talk about it and ask for help. But taking away the shame is so important.
"There was so much emptiness and sadness amidst joy, and I had to be LeAnn Rimes, the entity, not LeAnn Rimes, the person. I was very fragmented."
Rimes had to face her parents' divorce before going through a marriage separation herself, following her highly publicised affair with now-husband, actor Eddie Cibrian.
The How Do I Live singer struggled with panic attacks, negative thoughts, and had trouble sleeping, and she admitted, "Everything accumulated and I had to give in," as she sought treatment following her 30th birthday.
"It was the first night I was ever alone, ever," the 37-year-old musician admitted. "There was a lot of co-dependency. And a lot of healing that needed to be done."
The singer has now learnt how to manage her mental state and "try to keep things in perspective".
"The need for other's approval has changed big-time. Self-worth is key," she smiled. "Everything I have gone through has made me who I am, and I wouldn't trade that, at all."
