The ex-girlfriend of Jim Carrey who killed herself after splitting with the star was a Scientologist who was taking an intensive 'survival' Scientology course, DailyMail.com can reveal today.

Cathriona White, 30, who is originally from Ireland, took classes at Scientology's Hollywood Celebrity Center and was working on her 'objectives' in the 'Survival Rundown'.

The make-up artist split with the Hollywood actor, 53, last week and was found dead at home in California on Monday after an apparent drug overdose.

A suicide note found by her body mentions Mr Carrey, but no further details have been revealed.

The revelation about her Scientology course comes from respected journalist Tony Ortega who has been writing about the religion for 20 years.

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Revelation: Cathriona White (above with Jim Carrey) was a Scientologist who was taking an intensive 'survival' course and working on her 'objectives' in the 'Survival Rundown', DailyMail.com can reveal

Center: Miss White, the make-up artist ex-girlfriend of Jim Carrey who was found dead on Monday in an apparent suicide, took classes at Scientology's Hollywood Celebrity Center (pictured)

Process: White posted a photo of herself less than a year ago that showed her participating in the Scientology detoxification program purif (pictured)

Make-up artist Cathriona White was found dead in a house in Sherman Oaks, California, on Monday with the star describing the loss as like being 'hit with a lightning bolt'.

The 30-year-old, from the village of Cappawhite in Co Tipperary, Ireland, had moved to LA in 2009 and took roles as an extra on a television show before working behind the scenes.

Carrey, 53, and Miss White were pictured hand in hand in New York earlier this year.

According to Ortega, close Scientologist friends of White, 30, who first began dating actor Carrey in 2012, came to him saying they were shocked by her death.

'I was contacted by a couple of Scientologists who go under the radar and keep me up to date on what is going on inside.

'They called me and told me Cathriona White was a Scientologist. They were absolutely shocked by her death.

'They told me they knew Cathriona very well.'

The final photos taken of Jim Carrey and his Cathriona White show the pair smiling and deep in conversation while out on a date two weeks before her death.

They were seen at the Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery on September 10 taking in the opening reception of a new installation by artist Aaron Sandnes.

A little over two weeks later the couple would split, believed to be on Thursday September 24 and Miss White would tragically take her own life,

Last seen together: These are final photos taken of Jim Carrey and his Cathorina White and show the pair smiling and holding hands while out on a date in Los Angeles looking at art

They were seen at the Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery on September 10 taking in the opening reception of an installation by artist Aaron Sandnes - two weeks later the couple would split

Ortega says the friends told him that Cathriona originally got involved in Scientology about four to five years ago through members of musician Beck's circle of friends.

Beck is a well known Scientologist.

They encouraged her to move to the US from Ireland to take the Scientology foundation courses.

When Carrey met her and they began dating in March 2012, her friends say, Carrey was aware that 'Cat' was a Scientologist.

PURIF: CONTROVERSIAL 'DETOX' THAT CLAIMS TO HELP SCIENTOLOGISTS SWEAT OUT TOXINS... AND EVEN BOOST THEIR IQ Cathriona White had not long completed a so-called purification ritual which is a core part of Scientology, DailyMail.com has learned. The treatment, which the medical community derides as unproven and potentially dangerous, involves intensive sauna treatments and exercise designed to 'sweat out' toxins in the body. Scientology founder Ron L Hubbard claimed that traces of preservatives, pesticides and everyday pollutants cling to fatty tissue inside the body. Despite there being scant evidence that this is true, Hubbard developed a purification treatment, known as the 'purif' for short. It can last months and involves taking large doses of the vitamin niacin. The Church of Scientology claims a host of benefits for the treatment, including an IQ boost of up to 15 points. It is also seen as a necessary gateway to spiritual advancement within the cult - and has a price tag of more than $5,000. Advertisement

'I found that surprising,' says Ortega, 'because Jim's made fun of Scientology over the years.

'Apparently he was aware of it, but it seems they had an on again, off again relationship.'

Ortega says that one of the friends was 'very close' to Cathriona and told him that she was 'surprised' when her and Carrey got back together and expressed her concerns to the group.

After they began dating in 2012, Carrey and White reportedly soon broke up, but then they were spotted earlier this year in New York after they began seeing each other again.

'Cathriona's friends say that they were concerned about Cat dating Carrey again,' said Ortega.

'But they were assured by Scientologists they knew that Cat was emotionally prepared for the challenge of dating Carrey because, they said, 'She had just finished the Purif and was doing her objectives.'

'That basically means they think she can handle anything, that's the way Scientologists think.

'They think if they take these courses they become super human and are able to do anything.'

Fellow member: She originally got involved in Scientology about four to five years ago through members of musician Beck's (above) circle of friends claim her friends

Aware: When Carrey met her and they began dating in March 2012, her friends say, Carrey was aware that 'Cat' (above) was a Scientologist

'Purif' is short for the 'Purification Rundown,' a process invented by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard that he claimed could 'detoxify' the body through an intense regimen of daily sauna sessions and massive doses of the vitamin niacin,' says Ortega.

White posted a photo of herself in a sauna a little less than a year ago on Instagram and used 'purif' in one of her hashtags.

The 'objectives' are exercises that in recent years have been made part of a newer version of a course called the 'Survival Rundown' (SRD) which Scientology leader David Miscavige has made a prime requisite of Scientologists.

'CELEBRITY STRATEGY': HOW SCIENTOLOGY TARGETS THE FAMOUS The Church of Scientology allegedly has a long-standing goal of recruiting as many celebrities as it can to the cause - often targeting the super-famous through those who are close to them. Famous members of the cult, such as Tom Cruise and Juliette Lewis, are seen as an excellent advertisement for the church, which offers them select services and private church centers in a bid to lure in other A-listers in their social circle. One defector from the church revealed how high-ranking church members spent time trying to bring lapsed celebrities back into the fold, and win over their family members. In an article for Salon, Jenna Miscavige Hill claimed Scientology officials pondered how to tempt Tom Cruise into more intense involvement with the church by targeting his then-wife Nicole Kidman. Miscavige Hill, the niece of church boss David Miscavige, said he viewed Kidman, a Scientology sceptic, as a 'potential trouble source' and a 'problem they were trying to solve'. There was also a less aggressive side to the strategy, focused on the Celebrity Centers. Miscavige Hill claimed celebrities including Brad Pitt and Bono - who are not Scientologists - were nonetheless seen around the centers after being asked there by friends who were involved. Advertisement

Ortega says Miscavige has convinced all Scientologists to go back to the beginning and complete low-level courses, including the 'Survival Rundown'.

'These are fairly beginning courses in Scientology that everyone is being asked to do over again,' he said.

'Cathriona's friend told me that she was on the SRD stage but she had been stalling in the past several months and wasn't sure whether she was making progress or not.'

Ortega, the former editor-in-chief of The Village Voice and currently executive editor of TheLipTV, has been writing about Scientology as a journalist for 20 years and is considered an expert on the cult.

In May his book The Unbreakable Miss Lovely was published, chronicling the story of the life of author Paulette Cooper, the most famous victim of the Church of Scientology's notorious and ruthless 'Fair Game' retaliation schemes.

Source: These revelations come from respected journalist Tony Ortega (above) who has been writing about Scientology for 20 years

Cathriona was found dead in her Sherman Oaks, California, home on Monday.

Her cause of death is believed to be a suicide.

Assistant chief coroner Ed Winter has confirmed that there were pills next to Cathriona's body at the time of her death.

An autopsy has not been conducted yet, and toxicology tests take up to 10 weeks to determine the official cause of death.

Shortly after news of her death broke on Tuesday, Carrey released a statement, saying: 'I am shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of my sweet Cathriona. She was a truly kind and delicate Irish flower, too sensitive for this soil, to whom loving and being loved was all that sparkled.'