Janet-Street Porter health: TV presenter suffers from anxiety – how to manage symptoms?

Speaking on Loose Women, Street-Porter said: “Anxiety can manifest in me and I am willing to talk about the fact that even strong confident people like me can develop anxiety. People can get through it, they can absolutely get through it.” Janet revealed that she had suffered an anxiety attack after reading some nasty tweets about herself online. “I went to see I, Tonya and was in a good mood and when I made a few jokes about Linda in a swimsuit a couple of nasty people were on at me on Twitter. “When I got home I had a major anxiety attack about whether I’d been too horrible. I haven’t ever got outside help for anxiety.

“One psychiatrist said to me I was like an iceberg. There is a lot beneath the waterline that people don’t know about it and you aren’t willing to reveal it.”

The NHS said of anxiety: “It is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. During times like these, feeling anxious can be perfectly normal.

“But some people find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily lives.”

Doctor Marilyn Glenville, UK’s leaning nutritionist offers some tips to helping with feelings of anxiety or depression and said: “Try and start your day with a smile.

“Having a laugh is one of the best remedies for stress and low mood. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the natural feel-good chemicals that make us happier and relaxed.

“Also think about the amount of caffeine you are drinking either in coffee, teas, colas and energy drinks. Caffeine, similar to sugar, will cause a similar roller coaster effect and can cause the release of the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol.”

You should see your GP if anxiety is affecting your daily life or causing you distress

NHS

Qualified psychologist, Suzy Reading suggested: “Do something for yourself. Self-care is absolutely essential for combatting stress and anxiety.

“It helps us to recover and restore from the accumulation of minor daily stressors and the more significant challenging times like illness, job, pressure, conflict in relationships or financial struggle.

“Prioritise self-care so that you can think straights and cope with the everyday demands of life.”

Speaking about how she deals with her anxiety, Janet said: “I get things out, especially at night, I get things out of all proportion and have a re-run of things in my head.

“Then I have to write it down, and then I read it in the morning.”

The NHS said: “You should see your GP if anxiety is affecting your daily life or causing you distress.

“Your GP will ask about your symptoms and your worries, fears and emotions to find the best solution.

“Things such as going on a self-help course, exercising regularly, stopping smoking, cutting down on the amount of alcohol you drink or trying one of the mental health apps and tools are all ways to help reduce the feelings of anxiety or depression.”

Anxiety UK added: “Some people have a very identifiable cause for their anxiety; a traumatic incident, lots of stressors or have undergone a significant life event.

“However, some people don’t have an identifiable cause for their anxiety and it causes some distress.

“One way of thinking about your anxiety is to imagine your stress levels as being a bucket of water. If we keep adding stresses tho the bucket, over time it fills up until one day it overflows. What we need is a leaky bucket with lots of holes in to reduce your overall stress levels.

“Each one of these holes could be something positive that you do to manage your anxiety, such as yoga, exercise, reading, listening to music or spending time with friends or family.”

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