It’s not unusual for Kendall Jenner to rush to the hospital thinking her heart could be failing when she has trouble breathing. But now, Jenner knows the root problem is nothing physical—it’s her anxiety taking over.
After years of reflection, the 25-year-old model is finally getting comfortable talking about the uncomfortable. In a YouTube clip for Vogue, she opens up about social anxiety with clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula.
“I have struggled with anxiety and panic attacks since I was a little girl. I wanted to dive deeper to better understand what I was feeling but more so, to share this information with others who may struggle too,” Jenner reveals in an Instagram caption about the episode.
The clip which aired just yesterday (May 6) marks the first out of four mini-series in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Under the title Open Minded, Jenner will be connecting with more medical experts to reduce mental health stigma and spread coping tips.
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While sharing her experiences, Jenner makes sure to debunk any misconceptions that connect mental struggles with leading a lavish lifestyle. “At the end of the day, no matter what someone has or doesn’t have, doesn’t mean that you don’t have real-life feelings and emotions.”
Dr. Ramani Durvasula cautions that anyone who suffers from anxiety will have to take it slow as the world slowly starts to re-open amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Since we’ve slowly detached from society, she says re-learning social skills will take some extra time. Rather than simply diving back into the normal and hectic way of life, those with anxiety should adjust with baby steps.
However, Dr. Ramani Durvasula admits anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, our anxious mental health symptoms have actually kept us safe since the beginning of time. Centuries ago, humans with anxiety were the ones who knew it was right to from wild animals and stay away from poisonous berries, to name a few examples.
Three more episodes are coming soon on Vogue Magazine’s YouTube channel! Until then, let us know how you feel about episode one by leaving a reaction below or tweet @celebsecrets.