Stacey Solomon has revealed she experiences crippling health anxiety, to the point where she used to spend up to six hours a day worrying about death. The Loose Women panellist said one of her biggest fears is that she won’t be around for her two young sons as they grow up.
Writing in her column for The Sun, Stacey explained: “I remember being scared of dying at a very young age, maybe even five or six. I had no traumatic childhood experiences. There's not a point in my childhood where my mortality was questioned, but the fear was always there.”
Stacey Solomon revealed her fears that she won't be around for her sons
She added: “Bedtime is when I get most anxious because I have time to contemplate. I’m also more likely to question my mortality and catastrophise if I’ve seen or heard something upsetting about somebody. And, let's be honest, fear is everywhere. Every day a horrendous thing happens: stabbings, abductions, rape, cancer, failings in the NHS, paedophiles… the list is endless.”
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However, after seeing a therapist and her GP, Stacey has now found ways to manage her anxiety. “Now I recognise a pattern, and have been able to see my triggers. Before bed I try and read the most brain-hurty, intelligent book I can. One that’s so hard to read no other thoughts can creep into my mind. After 10 pages I’m usually exhausted and fall asleep,” she explained.
The Loose Women star has found ways to manage her anxiety
“I try my hardest to not watch too much scary news. If I cannot avoid those stories then I let myself know I may struggle to keep my anxiety at bay for a bit.” The 28-year-old has also learned to accept her anxiety as part of who she is, rather than try to fight it.
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Health anxiety is when you spend so much time worrying that you are ill, or getting ill, that it can take over your life. Sometimes known as hypochondria, people who have the condition may constantly worry about their health, worry that doctors or medical tests may have missed something, and always ask people for reassurance that they aren’t ill. Anxiety can cause symptoms like a racing heartbeat or headaches, which can further lead sufferers to mistake them for signs of illness.