Dr Amir Khan, a regular on ITV's Lorraine, made a heartfelt admission about his mental health during a special episode of Loose Doctors on Thursday, July 2. The medical panel, including Dr Nighat Arif, Dr Zoe Williams, and Dr Hilary Jones, discussed high-functioning depression and anxiety, with Amir revealing his personal experience for the first time on television.
Amir's Candid Admission
Amir explained that high-functioning depression and anxiety often go unnoticed. 'When people hear the words depression and anxiety, they have an idea of what that might look like - people not getting out of bed, not eating, not engaging,' he said. 'This is the first time I've talked about this on television.' He continued: '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.'
Impact on Work and Personal Life
Amir traced his anxiety back to his work as a GP. 'It definitely started at work, I can't quite put my finger on what it was, but it started off with me worrying about every single patient that I saw,' he said. He described going to great lengths to ensure he was doing his job properly, including logging back into his work computer from home to review patient notes and calling colleagues for reassurance. He also recounted a panic attack triggered by seeing two colleagues' cars in the car park, convinced they were meeting about him. 'They weren't, they were just there working, and I had a full-blown anxiety attack and I had to ring my friends,' he admitted.
Support from Colleagues
Dr Nighat Arif reached out to support Amir, while Dr Hilary Jones offered perspective: '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.' Amir thanked them, saying he has developed coping tools: 'I've managed to get tools in my head now to talk my way out of it.'
Final Remarks
After the segment, Amir expressed gratitude: 'Thank you for that guys! I feel very supported. Thank you.' The episode aimed to help viewers feel less alone in their struggles with mental health. Lorraine airs weekdays on ITV1 at 9.30am, while Loose Doctors is available to stream on ITVX. For support, Samaritans are available 24/7 at 116 123.
