Tammin Sursok’s life appears to be picture perfect, with two stunning children, a dashing husband, and a successful Hollywood profession.
But that’s the exact opposite of what the former Home and Away star wants us to believe.
In her most candid interview yet, she admits to New Idea, “I had an anxiety issue yesterday and I felt extremely humiliated.”
“And then I realised that if I’m embarrassed, I’m sure there are a lot of other individuals that are embarrassed right now.”
So, after sleeping on it, Tammin did what she’s become renowned for: she expressed her anxiety on Instagram while celebrating her 38th birthday in a “bright, colourful, and brilliant” pink outfit.
“I used to be concerned about what other people thought of me. Almost all of the time. It took over my life and made me feel so insecure,” she wrote.
Of course, Tammin understands that worrying about what other people think of a dress is foolish, but she also understands that it’s the small things that may cause anxiety, and she wants others to know that her “perfect life” comes with its own baggage.
Tammin’s highly successful podcast, Women On Top, allows her to discuss just about anything with her millions of followers, from her periodic difficulties with mental health and mothering to her first heartbreaking loss.
She explains, “I don’t do it for a pat on the back; I do it because I want others to feel better.” “I’ve struggled with anxiety my entire life. I don’t always understand why I’m stressed or anxious. It’s just a sensation.”
Tammin’s situation was recently clarified by a specialist who performed a brain scan and discovered signs of brain damage, which he feels was caused by having to deal with the demands of celebrity as a 15-year-old while on Home and Away.
“He said I had a lot of trauma in my brain, and that a lot of trauma happens when you’re young and in the spotlight. “It’s actually extremely stressful for a developing brain,” she explains.
Tammin, who was born in South Africa, was attending a private school on Sydney’s North Shore when she auditioned for her first part on the hit drama and was cast as Dani Sutherland.
“When I was younger, I felt like I had to be perfect,” she adds. “I had to make certain that I arrived on time. I had to double-check that I understood my lines. Growing up, I always felt compelled to be a particular way… then I moved on from Home and Away, and it was a different version of that. I’d never give it back, but… I consider myself fortunate to have my employment. Being innovative, on the other hand, does not guarantee that you will come out unharmed.
“There is undeniably a great deal of anxiety. In our job, I encounter a lot of people that suffer from anxiety, if not a large percentage.”
The former Pretty Little Liars star has had a very difficult year. Sean McEwen, Tammin’s ten-year-husband, almost died after acquiring COVID-19. The infection has left him with memory loss and terrible agony.
She admits, “I feared I was going to lose him.” “There were two days when I didn’t know if he was going to slip into a coma – and I remember it well. I was scared I wouldn’t see him again if we took him to the hospital.”
After 15 great years in Hollywood, Tammin and Sean were thrilled to bring their children, Phoenix, 7, and Lennon, 2, home to Australia.
“Knowing that you can just go outdoors and feel safe,” she adds, noting that when you live in LA, terror is constantly lurking around the corner. “When I was nine months pregnant, we had guns drawn on us. We heard gunfire the day before we left LA for Australia.”
Tammin feels secure, cherished, and protected because of Sean and their lovely relationship.
“I believe it’s extremely essential that we laugh a lot together,” she says. “He’s the nicest person I’ve ever met. In every manner, he puts us ahead of himself. He pays attention and comprehends. He isn’t self-centered in the least, and I hope I could be more like him. We have such a strong bond.”
Tammin just returned from a two-week vacation with Sean and the kids in Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island, following the completion of a new rom-com, You, Me, and the Penguins, on the Gold Coast. She’s presently in Sydney working on her new TV show, The Good Hustle.
Despite nearly losing her life when her uterine burst while giving birth to Lennon, she believes the notion of having another child is never far away.
“She was one hour away from ending up in my stomach when they took her out, which meant I would have died,” Tammin explains.
She pondered her choices after her near-death experience. “People use surrogates and adopt children. I’m not sure how I feel about any of that, but I’m willing to consider it. I would never have four children – no triplets or twins!”