Brandy Norwood—better known as simply Brandy—has been in the spotlight since she burst onto the R&B scene in her teens. While fame has its upside, living such a public life also negatively affected the singer and actress, who recently released her seventh studio album, B7, and opened up about her decades-long fight with depression, People reports.

“I was a little bit lost eight years ago musically, creatively, spiritually,” she said. “I had to pull myself together; I had to pull it all together and make it all make sense.”

Brandy, who has had a successful music career and was the star of the TV show Moesha, said she began feeling trapped by her “perfect” public image.

When fans learned that she was not married to the man who fathered her daughter, Sy’rai, as they had been led to believe on the reality show the two starred in, Brandy felt this changed their perspective of her. “But I had to focus on what was important, which was Sy’rai,” she said.

Then, years later, Brandy was involved in a car accident that killed a woman. She wasn’t criminally charged and settled out of court with the woman’s family, but the event affected her mentally. This and other personal issues contributed to Brandy’s depression.

At one point, she contemplated suicide.

“I remember laying in bed super depressed,” Brandy said. “I [told] myself, ‘So, you’re just going to go out like this? That’s wack. You have a daughter. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for her because this is not the way to leave a mark in her life.’”

Brandy credits her daughter, who is now age 18, with helping her overcome these dark times.

Her new album includes the tracks “Borderline” and “Bye Bipolar,” which hint at mental health disorders. But she stressed to fans that she hasn’t been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

However, Brandy shared that she’s used therapy, meditation, journaling and faith to find a path to healing. “I’m in a place now where I can be proud of moving in the right direction,” she said.

For related coverage, click here to read how entertainer Michelle Williams is manages her depression through therapy.