Mariska Hargitay has been playing beloved TV character Olivia Benson for almost half of her life, and while it “has surpassed my wildest dreams,” she admitted it has taken a toll. In a conversation with Selena Gomez for Interview magazine,

There's been times when I didn't know how to protect myself, and I think I was definitely a victim of secondary trauma from being inundated with these stories," said Mariska Hargitay.

SVU' star Mariska Hargitay says the show's storylines gave her 'secondary trauma' and led to her Joyful Heart Foundation.