'Jane The Virgin' Actress Gina Rodriguez Opens Up About Depression And Suicidal Thoughts

Gina Rodriguez isn't one to shy away from speaking her truth, and it was no different when she sat down with NBC's Kate Snow in Chicago at The Kennedy Forum. The "Jane The Virgin" star candidly opened up about her struggle with depression and having suicidal thoughts.

While speaking at the event, she discussed her recent struggle with anxiety and the hard time she had managing it while filming the final season of the CW show.

"There was a point where I couldn't…push through every single time anymore," the newlywed explained. "And I'm one of those human beings … where I'm like, I'll handle it later. I'll deal with it later. I'll figure it out later. I just have to do this now. All the while you're dealing with your silent little dragon in your head.”"

There came a point, though, where Rodriguez couldn't just "push through" anymore. She recounted the moment that occurred on the set of "Jane The Virgin."

“And it came to a point," she explained, "this season was the first season where I had to stop production. I had a really tumultuous season, and I was unafraid for the first time to be like, 'I can't.'"

The 34-year-old went on to address when she first noticed her mental health troubles.

"I think I started dealing with depression around 16," the now-34-year-old explained. "I started dealing with the idea of — that same concept that I think your husband was talking about — was [that] everything is going to be better when I'm gone. Life will be easier; all the woes will be away, all the problems. Then I wouldn't have to fail or succeed, right? Then all this surmounting pressure would go away. It would just go away."

Taking in what Rodriguez just said, Snow wanted to clarify what the "Someone Great" actress meant and asked, "You were thinking that maybe people would be better off without you here?"

"Oh, yeah," Rodriguez replied, on the verge of tears and without hesitation. "I felt that before, not too long ago, and it's a very real feeling."

Rodriguez showed no shame in sharing her reality because as a role model, she felt that "it has to be a part of the conversations."

"I can’t just tell them to go out and make their dreams come true and then to ignore everything else," she said.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.