Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has opened up about her battle with health anxiety, describing it as a condition that 'steals the joy of life'. The 60-year-old former EastEnders actress shared her struggles in a YouTube vlog, calling the experience 'horrendous' and 'exhausting'.
Sawalha confessed that she worries multiple times a day about potential diagnoses, including dementia, breast cancer, and bowel cancer. She revealed that she questioned herself up to 35 times in a single day about dementia, saying: 'There wasn't any thing I did today ... where I didn't go 'oh my god, that was a bit weird, is that dementia?''
The star explained that her anxiety is often triggered by social media or hearing about a condition, leading to obsessive thoughts. She also mentioned fears of rare illnesses such as Weil's disease and Guillain-Barré syndrome, despite having no exposure to the risks.
Sawalha said the anxiety is 'so draining' and prevents her from enjoying time with her family. She admitted she cannot discuss it with her children, who become 'terrified'. The NHS notes that health anxiety is related to OCD and can be treated with therapy or medication.
