Rebecca Gibney has shared a detailed candid update with fans on Tuesday after stepping back from social media earlier this year.
The Kiwi-Australian actress, 61, revealed that her mother, Shirley, had been hospitalised, but is now on the road to recovery.
“I haven’t disappeared – there has just been some ‘stuff’ going on,” Gibney wrote.
“Firstly – Mama Shirl is in hospital and has been dealing with a few issues but is doing well – anyone that follows me knows and loves Mum so thought I should share that – please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she climbs yet another mountain.”
Gibney also revealed the family’s dog, Lolly, had recently faced health problems.
“I have been spending more time with my biggest bro – which is the BEST… our wee pup Lolly has had a few health issues as well but the drugs are awesome and she’s well on the road to recovery,” she wrote.
Despite the challenges, Gibney shared a hopeful message with fans.
“The world is a bit nutso and it feels like we’re in a version of The Truman Show sometimes.
“But there are still good good people out there, nature is awesome and if you focus on doing a wee bit of good every day – you’ll feel better.”
The actress received an outpouring of support from followers in response to the update.
In April, Gibney announced she was taking a break from social media to “reconnect with my hubby, my dogs and myself” after opening up publicly about being diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
At the time, she revealed she had also received negative comments after sharing her diagnosis.
“Thank you for the overwhelmingly supportive response to my recent post around my ADHD/ASD diagnosis,” she wrote.
“Alas there has also been a little backlash so I just wanted to say to the people that responded with ‘ get over it’ , ‘it’s not cancer’ , stop jumping on the bandwagon’ and ‘nobody cares’ – just a wee word of advice.
“If you don’t know the full story of someone’s life – please don’t make assumptions or fire off petty comments.”
Gibney said she had spent decades being misdiagnosed with anxiety before learning more about her condition.
“I have lived most of my life misdiagnosed with severe anxiety (45 years of it). I was raised in a home with extreme domestic violence and I have suffered depression, so to tell someone to ‘get over it’ is really not helpful,” she wrote.
“I share my story so that it may encourage others who might be struggling to know they are not alone.”
Speaking previously to The Weekly, Gibney described the diagnosis as emotional and life-changing.
“It’s been hard. It’s been very emotional,” she said.
“I’m still coming to terms with it because it’s answered a lot of questions from my past – my panic attacks, my years of masking, which started obviously at a very early age.”
Image: Instagram
