Skeem Saam Star Pebetsi Matlaila Opens Up: How Messy Divorce Plunged Her into Depression
Pebetsi Matlaila, known for her role as Mokgadi on the SABC1 show Skeem Saam, recently opened up about her struggles with depression, stemming from her real-life marriage.
Pebetsi, who tied the knot in 2020, found herself divorced after just nine months due to various challenges in the relationship.
The 40-year-old actress revealed that she initially thought marrying her partner was the right choice, especially since they had a child together. However, things didn’t go as planned. In an exclusive interview with Daily Sun, Pebetsi shared the details of her marriage and the factors that led to her divorce.
Pebetsi Matlaila Offers Valuable Lessons and Advice After Divorce
She offered valuable advice to others, urging them not to rush into marriage and to pay attention to red flags in relationships. Pebetsi emphasized the importance of couples seeking counselling to address childhood traumas, which often surface in marriages.
“You need to pay attention to the red flags. If you don’t, the next time they pop up, they will be amplified. We always see red flags, but we ignore them. People should also try couples counselling. There, you learn about your partner’s childhood traumas. Those show up in a marriage because you know someone on a different level. Please go to couples counselling and put it on your list. Don’t rush into marriage,” she said.
Also Read: Linda Mtoba Hops onto Wealthy Millionaire After Divorce From Husband
Life After Divorce: Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Resilience
After her divorce, Pebetsi faced immense challenges, including financial struggles and having to drastically change her lifestyle. She recounted the difficulties of downgrading her living standards in order to support her children. The situation took a toll on her mental health, leading to thoughts of suicide and overwhelming depression.
“I felt like things went from bad to worse. I experienced financial abuse. I had to downgrade my lifestyle immensely. I couldn’t maintain my car. I had to let it go. I also had to let go of my gym memberships, medical aid and weekend getaways. I had to make sure I maintained a home for my kids. At the time, I was still healing from my pregnancy. And I feel like I lost my mind. I was scared I would die. And my kids would find my lifeless body. I couldn’t even afford a nanny. It was just us in the house. I had suicidal thoughts and depression. Life was hard, and I was frantic. If anything, if it wasn’t for the baby I was taking care of, I would’ve drank myself to sleep every night,” she disclosed.
Pebetsi has managed to overcome her struggles and is now off anti-depressants. She will be sharing her story in her upcoming book titled “A Decade In My Lifetime,” set to launch this Friday.
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