But that success allowed her to go part-time as a doctor in 2023, and she has now scaled back that work further, making it easier to reveal her true identity.
“My whole goal was to keep it a secret until I was [ready to] step back from my doctor job, so it wouldn’t be like everyone I work with suddenly knew and it compromised my ability to do my job,” she told USA Today.
“But I have stepped away from my job. I’m only working like once or twice a month.”
She added: “I just realised I was completely overwhelmed from trying to do both.”
It had also become increasingly difficult to maintain her double identity.
She told the Times this January, external: “One of my colleagues at the hospital recently recognised me in a Freida photo, and told everyone, so the cat is out of the bag.
“But they’ve been really respectful about not posting anything about me on social media, and I tried to repay them with a book signing at work.”
When doing public interviews or appearances as Freida, Cohen wears a wig – but only because “I have no idea how to style my hair”, she told USA Today.
She said she still wants her fans – the McFans and Freida Readahs – to continue to know her by her pen name.
“Even though I haven’t told my real name until now, I feel like I have shared the real me all along and everything I’ve told them has been the truth,” she said.
“Even though the name will be a surprise, nothing else will. I’ve always been genuine with my readers.”