Knightley took a break from working in 2006, suggesting that she wanted to take some time off acting to travel and focus on her personal life. Knightley disclosed in 2018 that she had a mental breakdown at age 22 and had been subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attributed to her struggle with adjusting to her sudden rise to stardom. She recounted how at one point she did not leave the house for three months, and in 2008, she needed to have hypnotherapy to prevent panic attacks so she could be able to properly attend that year's BAFTA Awards, where she was nominated for her performance in "Atonement".