Almost everyone has had bad relationships in the past where toxicity would be reaching new heights with the passing of time. Thanks to their partner’s actions, they would end up feeling small and powerless, often leading to doubt themselves. Emily in Paris lead actress, Lily Collins, is no stranger to that feeling.
Lily Collins
Recently, Lily Collins opened up about the abuse she had to go through in one of her previous relationships. While the abuse wasn’t physical, it’s important to note that verbal, emotional, and mental abuse are just as nasty and difficult to deal with. From getting called belittling names to having problems with her health, Lily Collins had to endure it all. The experience was so traumatic for the actress that she still gets triggered by the past despite being in a loving relationship.

Lily Collins on her Toxic Relationship

Lily Collins in Emily in Paris
During the February 06 episode of the podcast We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle, Lily Collins addressed the god-awful relationship she was in during her early 20s. Collins talked to the hosts about how the belittling relationship changed the way she saw herself and challenged her confidence. The actress stated that her boyfriend would call her words like “Little Lily” and “Wh*re”, which people usually do to assert dominance over the other.

“For me, my romantic toxic relationship was verbal and emotional abuse and being made to feel very small. He would call me ‘Little Lily.’ You should be ‘Little Lily’ and he’d use awful words about me in terms of what I was wearing and would call me a wh*re and all these things.”

Collins continued that because of the abusive actions of her then-partner, she would feel much more comfortable when she was in silence and that she had to make herself small in order to cope with her surroundings. She then talked about how she had to attend therapy because of the abuse where she resonated with the fact that prey stop eating food to appear weak and “as least juicy as possible” to be safe from any incoming predator.

Not only did the toxic relationship take a toll on her mental health and her emotional well-being, but Collins also talked about the adverse effects it had on her health.

“My skin was breaking out. I was having these panic attacks and I had kidney infections. All of these weird physical manifestations but I didn’t, at that time of my life, put the two and two together as your body is telling you, ‘This is not something you’re supposed to be in.’”

Our heart goes out to Collins who had to endure such trauma at a young age. All we have to say is if you are facing any kind of abusive issues in your relationship, refrain from keeping it to yourself. Please remember that help is just a call away.

How the Past Still Affects Lily Collins

Lily Collins and Charlie McDowell
The Inheritance actress stated that even after a decade of being in that straining relationship, it still holds the power to trigger her to this day. Collins added that while she could be in the healthiest relationship possible, “there can be a moment that happens throughout the day where history comes back like that.”

She continued that her loving husband, Charlie McDowell, understands her trauma and helps her navigate through it in the healthiest way possible. She stated that McDowell can read her like a book and when she is having one of those moments, he calls her out, bringing her back to reality. Collins clarified that while sometimes that might feel uncomfortable, it is important to realize that it is for the best. She is grateful that her best friend is there to support her through thick and thin!