‘It was hard for me to admit I needed that kind of help’: Millie Mackintosh reveals she started taking medication after becoming ‘consumed’ by anxiety
Millie Mackintosh has announced that she has started taking medication for anxiety, which she has struggled with for years.
The former Made In Chelstea star, 33, took to Instagram on Thursday and shared a candid post about her struggles with mental health.
Millie explained that she saw a therapist to deal with some “painful experiences” from her teenage years and that the medication was helpful.
Open: Millie Mackintosh has revealed that she has started taking medication for anxiety, which she has had for years
She said: “I wanted to catch up. I’ve shared a lot about how I’ve been feeling during my 4th trimester pregnancies and travel, but I haven’t checked in for a while so I thought I’d share a bit about life lately, especially my own self care.
“I recently recorded a podcast for @thegoodglow.ie where I shared something I honestly didn’t think I would do. I’ve had anxiety most of my life and found helpful tools to deal with it.
“But since lockdown and motherhood, my anxiety (especially social anxiety) really started to take over and consume my mind, causing me to feel trapped.
“I have engaged in therapy to try and understand where the fear comes from, which meant revisiting some painful experiences from my teenage years in the hope that this would release some of the association and anxiety. Instead, I found it really triggering and became more anxious than ever.
The former Made In Chelstea star, 33, took to Instagram on Thursday and shared a candid post about her struggles with mental health (pictured with daughter Aurelia, nine months).
‘After much thought and discussion with my therapist, we have decided to go on a low dose of the medication prescribed, while continuing talk therapy would be the best way forward for now.
“Even though I knew this was the best decision, I found it difficult to admit to myself and my family that I needed this kind of help.
“I would always encourage and support friends and family in their own mental health journey, but I think it’s different when you’re the one who needs it.”
Millie added that she now feels better than ever and feels like she is “in control” of her life again.
Contribution: Millie explained that she saw a therapist to deal with some “painful experiences” from her teenage years and found the medication helpful
She wrote: “It’s been a few months since I’ve been on my meds and with regular exercise and sleep I feel so much better, lighter, I can focus on being the best version of myself for my girls and Hugo without my fear stealing the joy from what happy moments should have been. I have more control and like myself again!
“It is so important to be open about mental health! Life isn’t always as shiny as it seems here, and I’m very interested in normalizing those conversations.
“Thanks @georgie.crawford for giving me a safe place to talk, I’ll be storytelling our conversation, check it out!
“As an aside, medication isn’t the answer for everyone, that’s just my experience. Ultimately, I want you to take away from this that it is okay to ask for help, that whatever you are going through, however you are feeling, you are not alone and that help is out there.
Millie is married to former Made In Chelsea star Hugo Taylor and the couple have daughters Sienna, two, and Aurelia, nine months.
Family: Millie is married to former Made In Chelsea star Hugo Taylor and the couple are parents to daughters Sienna, two, and Aurelia, nine months.