Chinese actress Zhao Lusi, renowned for her role in Hidden Love, recently broke her silence about her health. Days after being photographed in a wheelchair while being rushed to a hospital, the actress addressed her fans on a social media platform, revealing the extent of her struggles.

In a heartfelt post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, Zhao disclosed that she has been battling multiple health issues, including depression, pneumonia, emphysema, pityriasis rosea, urticaria, night sweats, and neurogenic hearing loss. She also shared deeply personal details about her childhood, revealing that she endured abuse during her formative years. The actress expressed gratitude for the support she has received and assured her fans that she is undergoing treatment.

Amid her health crisis, allegations emerged from someone claiming to be a close friend of Zhao. The individual, reportedly speaking with her consent, alleged that Zhao had been subjected to verbal and physical abuse by her company boss. This revelation coincided with reports of the actress’s weight dropping to a concerning 37 kilograms.

In response to the allegations, Zhao’s management agency, Yinhekuyu Media, issued a statement. They apologized for any shortcomings on their part but strongly denied the accusations of abuse. “We will not tolerate baseless and malicious slander and sincerely apologize to those unjustly harmed,” the statement read.

Earlier, Zhao’s agency confirmed her hospitalization, explaining that she had fallen ill suddenly and was receiving medical attention. The agency announced the suspension of all her work commitments to prioritize her recovery. “We hope everyone will give Zhao Lusi the space to rest physically and mentally,” the statement read.

In the days leading up to her statement, several videos of Zhao circulated online, showing her visibly frail. In one clip, she was seen struggling to walk steadily, while another showed her unable to hold a spoon properly, further intensifying fans’ concerns about her well-being.

The actress’s revelations have garnered an outpouring of support from fans and well-wishers, with many praying for her swift recovery. Meanwhile, discussions around the pressures faced by celebrities and workplace mistreatment have reignited on social media platforms.

Actress's statement (rough English translation):

“First and Last Response to Recent Events. Apologies for taking up public resources.

Before this, I never let my illness affect my work or those around me. I also admit my own problems. Because I tend to endure, it’s only during this past half month that I’ve realized I’m not as generous and forgiving at heart as I thought. So, I also bear some responsibility.

My career has brought me more help and support than I could have imagined. I am truly grateful and feel fortunate. This has helped me understand all the misunderstandings. I support anyone’s right to choose their desired career at any time because you always have the right to escape situations that bring suffering and exhaustion. You can stop anytime—you are free, and you can be brave.

I also understand that everyone has faced grievances and injustices. I’ve heard far too many horrifying stories. When there is no help, and the abuser continues to escalate, regardless of profession, age, or gender, it is wrong. Forcing someone to reopen their wounds to prove “it’s not overthinking,” “it’s not weak resilience,” or “it’s not dissatisfaction” is absurd. No one but a doctor has the right to determine the severity of someone’s trauma or whether it qualifies as an illness.

In 2019, I experienced depression. People told me, “Don’t overthink it” or “If you think positively, everything will be fine.” I also thought I was being dramatic and sensitive and didn’t take my mental health seriously.

In 2021, I felt like bugs were crawling on me, like needles were pricking me, accompanied by allergies. After seeing doctors, getting medications, and receiving injections, the symptoms didn’t improve. I sought out a psychologist to help ease my anxiety.

In 2023, I experienced pneumonia, emphysema, pityriasis rosea, urticaria, night sweats, neurogenic hearing loss, and the loss of loved ones and cancer diagnoses among family members. All these events happened in a short period, overshadowing my emotions, and I continued to neglect my health.

In 2024, frequent retching, dizziness, joint pain, neck pain, and other obvious physical symptoms appeared, along with worsening allergies. I thought these were normal side effects of allergy-targeted medication.

When I was a child, people called me a useless “pretty face.” During extracurricular tutoring, I was beaten in the teacher’s dormitory. At the time, I thought it was right to be punished because I wasn’t good at studying. I didn’t dare speak out because I was taught to “always find the problem within yourself.”

When I grew up, I was beaten again for not securing an acting role. I thought it was my fault, so I didn’t dare make a fuss—I just wanted to escape. I was used to handling my problems alone and didn’t have the habit of seeking help. Later, when my work was recognized, I gained the courage to say goodbye to those who hurt me.

In the end, the person demanded a huge “breakup fee” before they were willing to stop their manipulative behavior. Countless defamation attempts inside and outside the industry followed, with people coming to me after gossiping about me. Each time, the pain only deepened. The harm has never stopped.

I understand that I don’t have the right to want everything, nor can I demand that friends, family, or the company be perfect. The fact that they haven’t hurt me and have tried their best to protect me is more than enough.

I have never spoken about my illness before because I didn’t want it to turn into so-called “hype.” However, given the current situation, I want to share this so that more people understand:

Depression is an emotion, but depression as a condition is a disease. It cannot simply be resolved by “thinking positively” or “talking it out. To those of you who can relate to me: in such circumstances, whether you are truly “understood” no longer matters. What matters is breaking free from the endless cycle of proving yourself and finding a way to save yourself.

Understanding mental health and prioritizing psychological treatment is truly important. Regret is a useless emotion. Treat this as a “special time” to overturn inner conflicts and rebuild yourself. I am grateful to everyone who cares. Because of love, I get to live again. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and daily happiness.”