Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming admits actor's battle with a brain disorder has taken a 'toll' on her mental health

Bruce Willis' wife has given her first interview since the family revealed the actor was stepping away from acting due to a debilitating brain disorder.

Speaking to US parenting site The Bump, Emma Heming admitted the diagnosis has taken a toll on her as she helps her husband battle aphasia, a rare language disorder that's caused by brain damage and affects communication ability.

"I put my family's needs above my own, which I found does not make me any kind of hero," the 43-year-old model told the outlet this week. "That amount of care for everyone else within my household had taken a toll on my mental health and overall health. And it served no one in my family."

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Heming said she is now making a point to prioritise her wellbeing and "making the time for self-care" daily as it will benefit her husband and their daughters – Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, eight – in the long run.

"Someone told me not long ago that when you over-care for someone, you end up under-caring for yourself," she said. "That stopped me in my tracks and really resonated with me."

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Whle Willis has not spoken out about his diagnosis, last month – one week after his condition was made public – Heming shared a photo of the actor looking smiling and looking happy while enjoying some downtime in the countryside. 

"Mom & Dad in their favorite habitat 🏔🥾 #offthegrid," the model captioned the shots.

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In a separate Instagram Story, the mum-of-two also thanked fans for their well wishes. 

"Your love, support, compassion, prayers really help. I'm grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," she wrote. 

It was the entire Willis clan who banded together to reveal his health battle on Instagram on March 31. Along with Heming, his ex-wife Demi Moore and their daughters – Rumer, 33, Scout, 30, and Tallulah, 28 – all shared the same statement on their respective Instagrams to announce the actor's aphasia diagnosis and subsequent retirement. 

"To Bruce's amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him," the statement read.

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"This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support," it continued. "We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him."

"As Bruce always says, 'Live it up' and together we plan to do just that. Love, Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, & Evelyn."