Shannen Doherty is telling her story on her own terms.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 actress opened up about the most difficult moments she's faced amid her harrowing journey with breast cancer—and how she eventually found her strength in the process.
"It was hard, and it was scary, but there was also something so beautiful about it," Shannen said on the premiere episode of her new podcast, Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty. "I really learned a lot about myself, and I learned a lot about the people in my life."
She added, "I learned about my own well of strength and being able to dig deep."
On some of her most difficult days, the 52-year-old, who recently shared her cancer has spread to her bones, thought she wouldn't make it.
"When I dropped down to 92 lbs. from chemo and was incredibly dehydrated, I had to still get out of bed," Shannen explained. "My husband at the time, sort of begging me to keep going and my mom literally trying to pick me up out of bed and get me to the doctor."
"At that point in time, I thought that I wouldn't survive it," the Charmed alum, who split from husband Kurt Iswarienko after 11 years earlier this year, continued. "I didn't know how I would get through it."
Shannen was first diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and eventually went into remission in 2017. Two years later, however, the disease returned and went on to metastasize to her brain, which she underwent radiation and surgery for.
In addition to sharing her cancer journey with fans, she's also reflected on how her pain has transcended its physical form. For Shannen, losing her hair was like losing part of her identity.
"I kind of was known for my hair a little bit," she admitted. "I was really proud of my hair, to be honest. I know it seems vain and so silly to say something like that but it helped define me and when I lost that, I had to find a new definition for myself."
And she credits the kindness of her loved ones and fans who've reached out to share their own stories as helping guide her through the tough moments.
"To have that connection," she said. "It sort of wrapped me into this cocoon of safety, as cheesy as that may sound or as sappy as that may sound, it really did. It made me feel less ostracized from the world and like I was a part of something, which then started my feeling of deep, deep responsibility to share my story."
Look back on photos of Shannen through the years: