Vicky Pattison kept it real with fans online as she shared a glimpse into her battle with anxiety.
The ex-Geordie Shore star, 34, penned a lengthy caption explaining to her followers what she was going through and offered them some advice.
Posing bare-faced, Vicky revealed she sometimes had ‘no control’ over her mental health in the raw post.
The star is engaged to Ercan Ramadan, 28, and has been open in the past about her mental health, sharing that she suffers from social anxiety and panic attacks.
Alongside the honest selfie, she wrote: ‘There are a few things that exacerbate my anxiety.
‘When I’m tired, overworked & just not looking after myself properly I don’t feel as though I have the energy to fight off the intrusive dark thoughts. I also just feel like I’m more susceptible to that negative self talk when I’m low & burnt out.
‘Then there’s that week before your period where my hormones are just all over the place & chaos reigns throughout my body & mind as if I have no control at all over my sensibilities. It’s as if my body is not my own at all [sic]’.
She continued telling her online fans: ‘Today both of these joyous occasions have coincided (sort of like a full moon & mercury being in retrograde all at the same time) & that negativity narrative in my head that feeds my anxiety has just become impossible to ignore.
‘I struggle to push any self doubt, toxic thoughts & criticism away and instead it just breeds making me feel worse & worse until it completely consumes me & I know I’m not the only one who feels like way.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpr7LRWMd9-/
‘I’m speaking to more & more women who are feeling the affects of busy lifestyles & trying to be everything to everyone all the time & it’s just too much.
‘I’ve been trying to write this post for ages but ironically my anxiety is just telling me everything I write is rubbish, or doesn’t make sense & people are going to laugh at me or troll me (classic) But I feel like this is important & I want to say it- make some time for yourself, self love & self compassion are important & those dark clouds are never going to clear unless you do something about them & put yourself first [sic]’.
Fans rushed to her comment section to offer the star praise and words of encouragement.
One said: ‘You are such a queen & you are definitely going to be ok. Thank you for always being real [sic]’, while another noted: ‘I needed this, this is me right now too… you are not alone [sic]’.
Vicky’s upload came after she shared behind-the-scenes footage from her whirlwind Irish getaway.
What is anxiety?
According to the NHS, anxiety is the main symptom of several conditions, which includes:
- Panic disorder
- Phobias, such as agoraphobia or claustrophobia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
The most common is generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), which is a long-term condition that causes you to feel regularly anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than one specific event. It’s estimated 5% of the UK population is affected by GAD.
Symptoms of GAD include:
- Feeling restless or worried
- Having trouble concentrating or sleeping
- Dizziness or heart palpitations
People are advised to seek professional advice from a doctor if anxiety is affecting daily life or causing distress.
Treatment for GAD ranges from psychological therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, as well as prescription medicine.
There are also various self-help actions the NHS suggests, including:
- Going on a self-help course
- Exercising regularly
- Stopping smoking
- Cutting down on the amount of alcohol and caffeine you drink
- Trying 1 of the mental health apps and tools in the NHS Apps Library
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