Kodaline frontman Steve Garrigan has opened up about anxiety.
Appearing on the Ray D’Arcy Show alongside author Diana Bunici, he described his experience with panic attacks.
The couple are ambassadors for Walk In My Shoes, a charity supporting mental health awareness.
“It’s about getting people to open up and talk about their problems and make sure everybody knows that it’s ok to talk about it so they don’t feel like they’re on their own, and there is a way to get better and there are services out there, even when you feel that there’s nothing,” he told Ray.
“One of the main reasons I got involved was, when I was 19 years old I had a massive panic attack. I was walking around town and I didn’t know what was going on, I didn’t even know what anxiety was, I didn’t know what a panic attack was, I just thought I was dying.”
“Which is a common symptom, anyone who has a panic attack for the first time, they usually think they’re dying, because it’s really scary,” he candidly said.
“Your heart races, your hands shake, your breathing goes which is really scary because it feels like your lungs aren’t getting enough air, you can get pins and needles all over your body, blurred vision, you can’t concentrate on anything.”
He explained that he suffered from the panic attacks for a number of years, before turning to a friend for support.
“I ignored it, and I foolishly thought that if I ignored it, it would go away and get better. I spoke to a friend and I was so scared about telling him, and when I did tell him he was absolutely incredible, incredibly supportive,” he said.
The musician is now coping with his anxiety by seeking therapy.
