Catherine Zeta Jones - Catherine Zeta-jones: 'Health Crises Put Life Into Perspective'

The Chicago star hit the headlines in April 2011 after she checked into a mental health facility in Connecticut, where she spent five days combating a serious bout of depression.

Zeta-Jones' treatment came less than a year after husband Michael Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer - and the actress has credited the health scares with giving her a new outlook.

She tells Britain's Stylist magazine, "As hard as it is, it puts everything into perspective on a personal and professional level. I'm not so consumed about what people think or say like I used to be.

"It's made me much more centred and I'm not afraid to say no and if people don't like that, well, tough. I'm looking out for myself more. We spend a lot of time in our business being nice and giving a lot out to complete strangers. And then you turn around and go, 'Wait a minute, I'm exhausted by this. It's our time now and we should be enjoying every minute.'

"It's not about being a hamster on a wheel. This is life; this is it. And we feel very blessed with our health and everything. And we just enjoy it. Michael's the same.

"These things are sent to try us, and we do sit back and go, 'Wow, we got through that,' and, 'Oof, we dodged that huge bullet.' I guess it does make you stronger because you have some ammunition to be prepared for something else that's going to side swipe you, because it really did side swipe us."

And she reveals the couple has been touched by all the well-wishes for Douglas, who was given the all-clear from his cancer last year (11).

Zeta-Jones says, "I've had so many letters about Michael, and it's just incredible. We all really appreciate that and all those prayers for him. It's now onwards and upwards. We're onto the next chapter of our lives. As long as we have health and happiness, nothing else matters...

"I'm in a much better place now. Things are going great and long may they continue because it's been a tough road."