James Arthur has opened up about his struggle with anxiety during a candid chat with Lorraine Kelly on Thursday's episode of Lorraine. The former X Factor winner, 29, revealed he still battles with the mental illness on a "daily basis" but has credited his music for being a good form of release. He explained: "I'm getting better. The most important thing for people is being aware of the triggers. But be above them. I channel it through music and listening to music."
James Arthur has opened up about his struggle with mental health
The singer is currently enjoying the success of his new music, which comes after a turbulent few years since his win on the popular ITV talent show in 2012. "I was fed up of beating myself up, I wanted to do something for me, feed the soul, make some music that's good for me," he added. "Anxiety is something that is very close to my heart, I suffer daily. Music can help that."
"I was fed up of beating myself up," he said on Lorraine
Hoping to inspire others to get help, the singer added: "I'm trying to keep it as honest as possible, it's cathartic for me. If it helps other people, that's amazing… I'm getting a lot better. The most important thing is being aware of is the triggers - to be above them and aware of them is very important."
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James also revealed he will be releasing a new autobiography which will go into detail his mental health battles. "I'm doing a memoir - it's not your typical autobiography," he shared. "I wanted to incorporate the struggles with mental health and the boy represents the mental illness, the anxiety, the depression. It's right through the story."