Cara Delevingne has revealed that she battled with depression during her teenage years before she became a superstar model, saying in a new interview that she was “completely suicidal” while she was at school.

The 23 year old model-turned-actress, who starred in the hit movie Paper Towns this summer, has previously revealed that she used to try to knock herself unconscious when she was feeling down in her childhood. Speaking to the Women In The World conference in an interview with Rupert Everett last week, she said that her depression stemmed from pushing herself too hard at school.

Cara DelevingneCara Delevingne revealed her struggle with depression as a teenager

“I really wanted to do well at school to please my parents, to please my family. I didn’t really care that much about school because I knew I was never going to be very good at it. I think I pushed myself so far that I got to the point where I had a mental breakdown,” she revealed. “I was completely suicidal, I didn't want to live any more. I thought that I was completely alone.”

Delevingne said that her condition distorted her view of her reality. “I also realised how lucky I was, and what a wonderful family and wonderful friends I had, but that didn't matter. I wanted the world to swallow me up, and nothing seemed better to me than death.”

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However, she credited Kate Moss with helping her to cope when she struggled in the modelling industry. “What happened was I eventually said no, and I eventually took a break, from the advice of Kate Moss, who kind of picked me up off the floor. It's about finding people around you who have your best interests at heart.”

“I had a lot of people around me who were just after what I gave them… not looking after me. So it's about finding people who care about you, and support you. And I've now been able to become a support for other people, as well.”

Delevingne also had a message for young girls who are dreaming of a life in the fashion and modelling world. “In our culture we are told that if we are beautiful, if we are skinny, if we are successful, famous, if we fit in, if everyone loves us, that we'll be happy. But that's not entirely true.”

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