Prince Harry Describes Exactly What a Panic Attack Feels Like
Anyone who has ever experienced a panic attack knows how terrifying it can be.
The episodes, which are experienced by up to a third of Canadian adults any given year, cause a sudden rush of unexpected stress and fear, which can lead to symptoms such as heart palpitations, sweating, trembling and shortness of breath.
But those who have suffered (and survived!) through a panic attack can seek comfort in knowing that they are not alone—even royals can experience them from time to time.
Prince Harry recently opened up about his experience with panic attacks, giving the perfect description of what they can feel like.
“In my case, every single time I was in any room with loads of people, which is quite often, I was just pouring with sweat, my heart beating―boom, boom, boom, boom―literally, just like a washing machine,” the 32-year-old royal said in a recent interview with U.K. Army channel Forces TV. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, get me out of here now. Oh, hang on, I can’t get out of here, I have got to just hide it.’”
This isn’t the first time Harry has opened up about his struggles with mental health, however. Back in April, he revealed his life was “total chaos” years after the death of his mother, Princess Diana.
“I can safely say that losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well,” he said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, in support of his Heads Together mental health charity, which he runs with Prince William and Kate Middleton.
“I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions when all sorts of grief and sort of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle,” he continued, adding that seeking professional help and taking up boxing helped him cope.
Prince Harry’s openness about his struggles is extremely important, especially given the stigma surrounding mental health issues. In his Forces TV interview, he reiterated how common mental conditions are, encouraging those struggling to seek support.
“So many people are, you know, like slightly mental,” he continued in his Forces TV interview. “Awesome! We are, we are all mental and we have all got to deal with our stuff. Rather than running around at 50 percent capacity, imagine if we could run around at 100 percent capacity. Imagine what we could achieve.”
For more celebrities de-stigmatizing mental illness, click here.
The post Prince Harry Describes Exactly What a Panic Attack Feels Like appeared first on FASHION Magazine.