Little Mix star Perrie Edwards has revealed she suffers from anxiety and has experienced panic attacks that made her feel like she was 'losing her mind'. In a candid Instagram post, the singer shared her mental health struggles with fans, describing the first panic attack as so intense she thought she was having a heart attack.
Edwards wrote that the condition became so severe she was unable to leave her home. 'Over the past few years I have suffered really badly with anxiety and panic attacks,' she said. 'When I first started to feel the effects of anxiety I thought I was losing my mind and it terrified me. I felt so alone and like I was the first person in the world to ever experience it.'
The singer, who has been in the public eye for over a decade, said she now realises she is not alone. 'I've had a relationship with my mind for 25 years now, so to feel it working against me sometimes makes me feel like a prisoner in my own head,' she added. Edwards credited therapy and limiting her time on social media as key factors in her recovery, noting that social media often made her feel 'trapped and claustrophobic'.
While the panic attacks have stopped, Edwards acknowledged she still struggles with anxiety and likely always will. She encouraged others to speak openly about their feelings, saying 'venting your feelings is healthy'. The post received messages of support from fellow Little Mix member Leigh-Anne Pinnock, boyfriend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and former Fifth Harmony singer Ally Brooke.
