Valerie Bertinelli has decided to open up about a mental health challenge that she has experienced recently: An anxiety attack. Because the confession felt “incredibly vulnerable” and “scary to share,” she hesitated before telling her fans about it. At the same time, she felt that it was important to share what she’s going through because she wanted people who have experienced something similar to know that they’re not alone.
The Hot in Cleveland actress, 64, revealed that she recently “had a really bad anxiety attack.” Though she wrote about the anxiety attack hours after she experienced it, she had a lingering “after effect that I can’t quite seem to calm all the way yet” despite trying to “meditate and EMDR my way out of this.”
The video she shared on Instagram showed her hand still shaking as she tried to calm down after the anxiety attack.
While Valerie has experienced anxiety attacks before, she hadn’t “had one like this in a very, very long time.” In her post, she described how she felt at the time. “A few hours ago, I was weeping uncontrollably, and my heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest,” she explained. “I couldn’t stop shaking.”
Thankfully, Valerie said, her anxiety attacks have become “much more infrequent,” which is why the recent anxiety attack she experienced “took me a little bit by surprise.”
More from LittleThings: Chrissy Teigen Shamed For Letting Daughter Luna Put Her Feet On The Kitchen Counter While Cooking In New Video
“I know I’m taking a chance, but, I want to share it because I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one out here who has experienced this,” Valerie noted in her post. Her video simply showed an “after effect” of the anxiety attack.
She added that calling it an “anxiety attack” is fitting considering how she feels when it happens. “Attack is such an appropriate word,” she said. “My body and my mind feels like it’s actually under attack.”
“I almost disassociate and am focused solely on calming down and finding any road to a more relaxed and peaceful body,” Valerie continued. “Because I know it’s just my brain overthinking and catastrophizing but my body goes into overdrive and I have no control over it.”
As for her reason for sharing something so personal, Valerie said, “I’m posting because we’re all out here doing our best having a human experience and none of us want to feel like we’re alone in that.”
“Anyone else experience an extreme anxiety attack, and then the after effects still take a bit to calm?” she asked her followers. “Tell me I’m not the only one out here 😬 and is there anything that you have also found to be helpful?”
“Anyway…,” she added. “This little bit of vulnerability is brought to you by someone who wants you to know you’re not alone.”
Followers commented on Valerie’s post to let her know that she’s not alone. Rosie O’Donnell was among the people who commented to share their support for the former Food Network star. “Totally relate — call me anytime,” Rosie commented.
