Riley Reid reveals how adult career helped to ‘save her from severe illness’ during critical moment in life

World famous adult movie star Riley Reid has opened up on how she was save from 'severe' mental illness during one of the most important moments of her life.

The Pornhub and OnlyFans star has made a huge fortune from her spicy content, earning a reported $19 million (£15 million). Still only 33, she got in to the pornographic film industry when she was 19 years old and become one of the top earners in it within just a few years.

Reid - which is not her real name - has earned more than 40 awards for her work.

But she is more than just a performer for the cameras with the Floridian a mum and a wife back at home.

And it is her time spent as a mum that has seen her open up on her health and how her earnings from porn helped her avoid what she thinks would have been a 'severe' lapse in her mental state.

Riley Reid's mental health

Reid bravely spoke about how she feels she was close to suffering from something called postpartum depression. Also known as postnatal depression it is a medical health condition woman can suffer from after giving birth to a baby.

Sitting down to speak about the issue on the Stiff Socks podcast over on YouTube, Reid spoke about how her wealth allowed her to stop becoming overwhelmed by the condition.

"One of my night nurses was telling me like she had really bad depression. She was being a night nurse for other mothers but not being there for her own children, struggling a lot," she said.

"You don't have enough time for yourself or anything and you just become just depressed."

On avoiding a lapse in her own mental health, Reid explained: "Having a child is a lot. I have a night nurse, I have a personal chef, I have a cleaning crew, I have my employees.

"I have all of this help... I think I would have had severe depression if I didn't have the help because it is a lot."

Riley Reid has spoken about her mental health (Instagram / letrileylive)

What is postnatal depression?

Postnatal depression is a common issue after having a baby with around one in every 10 women experiencing it within a year of giving birth, the NHS says. Once upon a time it would be described as the 'baby blues'; something that is an extremely normal thing to experience.

You might feel down, anxious or tearful in the weeks after giving birth.

The health service explains: "It's important to get help as soon as possible if you think you might be depressed, as your symptoms could last for months or get worse and have a significant impact on you, your baby and your family.

"With the right support most people make a full recovery."

Postnatal depression symptoms

The NHS lists the following signs and symptoms that indicate you, or someone you know, might have postnatal depression:

• a persistent feeling of sadness and low mood
• lack of enjoyment and loss of interest in the wider world
• lack of energy and feeling tired all the time
• trouble sleeping at night and feeling sleepy during the day
• finding it difficult to look after yourself and your baby
• withdrawing from contact with other people
• problems concentrating and making decisions
• frightening thoughts – for example, about hurting your baby

"Many women do not realise they have postnatal depression because it can develop gradually," the NHS says.

If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you.

CALM is open from 5pm through to midnight, 365 days a year.

Its national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.