Barrino: 'Day of overdose was heavy'

Fantasia Barrino has described the events leading up to her recent overdose as "heavy".

The former American Idol winner - who was hospitalised earlier this month after taking a combination of aspirin and sleeping pills - recently admitted that the incident was not accidental.

In an interview on the Gayle King Show, Barrino confessed that she had become overwhelmed by her fast-paced career.

"Well, [there] was so much going on that day, and I think you know that since I've been in the industry, there's always something going on in my life. And I take a licking and I keep on ticking," she explained.

"I've never really had the chance to release... I wasn't prepared. I wasn't prepared for Hollywood... I have feelings, I do. I'm human. But I cover them up well and I keep them moving like nothing is bothering me."

She continued: "It was so heavy that day... I told Brian [my manager], 'I feel like I'm about to have a nervous breakdown'. And again, because Brian knows I'm really strong, he says, 'You got it. We can get through this'. I just became overloaded that day."

Barrino added that even the thought of leaving her daughter behind was not enough to keep her from attempting suicide.

"I couldn't do it for [daughter] Zion and it just hurt me so bad and I was out of it... and I never go to that point. And so I stayed in my room for three days," she said.

"In the beginning [when I took the pills], I wanted to sleep... and I said to myself, 'If I don't wake up, that might be good'."