The 46-year-old actress of Indian origin found TV stardom so tough to handle that she would lock herself indoors with the curtains drawn for up to a week, reported Sun online.
The actress, who needed two counsellors to cope, even hinted that she thought of ending it all.
"When you're in a dark place, there only appears to be one way out. You try not to consider that. I've always tried not to reach that low. But when a bout of depression hit me I could lock myself away for a week. I lived like a hermit."
"I was generally happy within Coronation Street, but it was people outside the confines of the set that brought me down... I'd get racial abuse on networking sites. I've had people saying I look like a duck because I have big lips. I've cried many times about the way people have reacted to me," said Gulati.
The mother of one joined 'Coronation Street' in 2001 and soon became one of its most popular stars.
She announced in November that she was quitting as shopgirl Sunita Alahan. Gulati said seeing her character killed off this month will lift a huge weight from her shoulders. Having filmed her final scenes, she said, "I now feel free.