A New Zealand actress is using her personal story of addiction, mental illness and recovery to spark national conversations about stigma and healing, following the release of a new television series inspired by her life.
Speaking onThe Nutters Club, actress and writer Holly Shervey detailed how her series Crackhead draws heavily on her own experiences, including being admitted to a psychiatric facility at just 20 years old after years of substance use, disordered eating and deteriorating mental health.
Shervey, who grew up in Queenstown after being born in Australia, described a turbulent childhood marked by the death of her mother from cancer when she was six. The loss, she said, triggered early anxiety and shaped her identity as “the girl whose mum had died,” a label that followed her through school.
As a teenager, she struggled with body image and turned to alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism. What began as social behaviour escalated into more harmful patterns after leaving school, culminating in an ecstasy binge, a suicide attempt, and a growing sense of losing control.
Attempts to reset her life by moving cities and seeking therapy proved unsuccessful at the time. “I wasn’t in a space where I could do the work,” she said, reflecting on early treatment efforts.
Her eventual admission into psychiatric care marked a turning point, though not an easy one. Shervey described the three-month stay as both traumatic and transformative, exposing her to a wide range of mental health conditions while equipping her with basic coping tools.
However, reintegrating into everyday life proved challenging. She recalled feeling isolated and ashamed, struggling to rebuild a sense of normalcy while her peers moved forward with university and careers. Progress came slowly, often measured in small victories such as getting through a day without relapsing into harmful behaviours.
A major shift occurred when Shervey discovered acting, which she described as providing purpose and structure. “Instead of living for the weekend, I was living for auditions and productions,” she said.
Her recovery was further strengthened by her relationship with her husband, whom she credits with helping her confront long-held shame. His acceptance, even after learning about her psychiatric history, was a pivotal moment in her journey toward self-acceptance.
Now, through Crackhead, Shervey is sharing her story publicly in the hope of reducing stigma and encouraging others to seek help. She says the response has been overwhelmingly relatable, highlighting how widespread mental health struggles are.
Callers and texts to the show echoed that sentiment, reinforcing that recovery is often non-linear but possible, and that finding purpose, even in small steps, can be key to rebuilding a life.
