(CNN)Kit Harington has been doing a lot of self reflection and is now sharing some of what he's learned with the hope of helping others.
The "Game of Thrones" star, who welcomed his first child six months ago with actress Rose Leslie, told The Sunday Times that he is in recovery from alcoholism.
"Things that have happened to me since 'Thrones' ended, and that were happening during 'Thrones,' were of a pretty traumatic nature and they did include alcohol," he said.
The actor, 34, when on to say that at times he felt like a "bad" and "shameful person."
"And you feel that there's no way out, that's just who you are. And getting sober is the process of going, 'No, I can change,'" Harington said. "One of my favourite things I learnt recently is that the expression 'a leopard doesn't change its spots' is completely false: that a leopard actually does change its spots. I just think that's the most beautiful thing. It really helped. That was something I kind of clung to; the idea that I could make this huge fundamental change in who I was and how I went about my life."
The actor said that at times he felt suicidal.
"I went through periods of real depression where I wanted to do all sorts of things," he went on to say. "But I definitely don't want to be seen as a martyr or special. I've been through something, it's my stuff. If it helps someone, that's good."
As for becoming a father, he says it's the hardest job he's had yet.
"There's something about having a child that is the most physically draining thing. My hat goes off to any single parent," he said. "Any single parent, you're a f***ing genius. I don't know how you do it. Because it's more exhausting than everything I did on 'Thrones.'"
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