Dr Amir Khan, a regular on ITV's Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, fought back tears as he opened up about his battle with anxiety for the first time on live television. The full-time GP from Bradford appeared on a special health-focused edition of Loose Women, titled Loose Doctors, on Thursday afternoon (July 2).
Special Episode Format
The regular Loose Women format was replaced by Loose Doctors, featuring Dr Amir Khan alongside Dr Nighat Arif, Dr Zoe Williams, and Dr Hilary Jones. Dr Amir took on the presenting role, typically held by Ruth Langsford or Kaye Adams, steering the discussion on topics such as using AI for medical advice and whether doctors are good patients.
Personal Revelation
During the episode, the doctors discussed high-functioning depression and anxiety, where individuals mask their mental health struggles. Dr Amir shared his own experience for the first time on television. He explained that he has suffered from social and anticipatory anxiety for several years, which began at work.
"I have, for quite a while, suffered from social and anticipatory anxiety. And what that means really for me [is] if I've got anything coming up, whether it's a meeting at work or a social event, I really struggle with it," he said.
Anxiety at Work
Dr Amir described how his anxiety started with worrying about every patient he saw. To ensure he performed his duties correctly, he would remotely access his work computer from home to review patient records again. He would also call colleagues to confirm his decisions. He recalled an incident where he saw two colleagues' cars in the car park and became convinced they were having a meeting about him, leading to a "full-blown anxiety attack." He later learned they were simply working late.
Support and Tools
Dr Nighat Arif praised Dr Amir for his honesty, saying: "The thing is, Amir, this is because you're conscientious, you're thorough and you're caring. It's the price you pay for being those things. So, you're creating stress in yourself, you're creating anxiety, and actually, you're a high achiever. High-functioning. That's what it's all about, but it can get too much."
Dr Amir responded: "Thank you for saying that. I've managed to get tools in my head now to talk my way out of it… Thank you for that guys! I feel very supported. Thank you."
