Haley Lu Richardson reflects on journey of healing and self-discovery after heartbreak

Haley Lu Richardson has recently reflected on a journey of healing and self-discovery after deep heartbreak.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, Richardson discussed about her July Instagram post where she told her over two million followers, “Up and down and generally feeling things a lot ... It’s taken me forever to even be able to tell the people I’m closest to that I’m having a hard time. Something kept calling me to post this.”

Explaining why she penned her heart out, the White Lotus star said, “I was experiencing deep heartbreak and fully letting myself feel how scary that was, how unknown.”

Richardson clarified that she had no regrets about sharing her thoughts on social media.

Richardson stated, “I don't know if I'd ever just let myself actually feel those things without trying to fight it so much. It was a lot.”

“I let myself feel sadness. And I just felt compelled to share that I wasn’t actually doing that great. It was so overwhelming, the effect that had, because I immediately felt less alone,” remarked the 28-year-old.

Richardson noted, “Maybe because I hadn’t let myself feel that at other times in the past, where I’d felt lonely, down or lost. I just felt what I was feeling in that moment.”

The actress mentioned that her followers also began sharing their struggles with her in the comment section.

“It sounds so dumb that an Instagram post could affect me so much, but I just felt like people were being so honest and experiencing a shared feeling,” she continued.

“Richardson added, “We all go through these painful times, and to come together in that — that’s where compassion comes from. I felt like I was getting hugs from everyone.”