Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide and self-harm which some readers may find distressing
Madonna has opened up about the emotional toll the child custody battle she endured with her ex, Guy Ritchie, took on her life.
The seven-time Grammy winner, now 67, married the British film director, now 57, in a private ceremony in Scotland back in 2000.
Their son Rocco was born in August of that year, shortly before the wedding.
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Six years later, the couple adopted David Banda, a child from Malawi. However, by 2008, the pair officially announced their divorce and faced a difficult custody battle over Rocco seven years later.
During Monday’s (29 September) episode of Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, the 'Like a Prayer' singer revealed that she 'contemplated suicide' nine years ago.
“There were moments in my life [where] I wanted to cut my arms off,” Madonna, who has six biological and adopted children in total, said.
“I actually contemplated suicide. That probably sounds really weird coming from me because I’m not emo, but I was like, I can’t take this pain anymore.”
In the past, she would 'seek revenge' on people who wronged her, but is no longer 'in the blame game'.
Calling the custody battle 'one of the most painful moments of my life', Madonna added: “Even though my marriage didn’t work out, someone trying to take my child away from me, it was like, they might as well just kill me.
“That’s what I was thinking. I would just be lying on the floor of my dressing room, sobbing.
"I really thought it was the end of the world. I couldn’t take it."
Rocco, who wanted to live with Ritchie in the UK, refused to live with his mum in New York following a court order in January 2016.
By September of that year, Madonna dropped the illegal retention allegations she had waged against her ex. She then settled with the The Gentlemen director and allowed Rocco to stay with him.
“The case is settled and everyone agrees that Rocco’s needs changed and he’s going to be living with dad,” Peter Bronstein, Ritchie’s attorney, said following the agreement.
“Everyone’s agreed to that, and there’s no further need for any kind of a court case.”
After everything, Madonna said: “But thank God, I don’t feel that way anymore. At the end of the day, I needed to learn some lessons. I’m now really good friends with my son.”
LADbible Group has reached out to Guy Ritchie's representatives for comment.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Topics: Celebrity, Health, Sex and Relationships, Guy Ritchie
Anish Vij