Jodie Kidd health: ‘It haunted my whole life’ Former model’s agonising health battle

Jodie Kidd health: ‘It haunted my whole life’ Former model’s agonising health battle

Jodie Kidd, 41, suffered anxiety and panic attacks so bad it destroyed her modelling career and drove her to quit, she revealed towards the end of last year. The star began her career in the modelling industry at the tender age of 15, and in the peak of her career graced the covers of fashion magazines and was the face of many big fashion campaigns.

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Now famed for her TV appearances and race car driving talents, Jodie revealed to OK! magazine: “I suffered from anxiety through most of my modelling career which is the reason why I stopped modelling.

“I got to a point where it haunted my whole life.”

After 20 years in the industry, Jodie gave up modelling, although she made a dramatic return in 2018 on the catwalk for Vila Nomi and an Alice Temperley campaign.

Her race car driving hobby has allowed Jodie to release adrenaline and have better control of her anxiety.

She explained: “When you’ve got anxiety it’s your adrenal gland releasing that fight or flight which is very much what I do in most of my things, like racing cars, it’s pumping your body with adrenaline.

“Maybe that’s because I have too much and by releasing it by doing scary things I don’t suffer from anxiety back at home, I’m not sure.

“Maybe I’m just releasing it in other ways because I don’t want to be sitting at home and then flooded with anxiety.”

Jodie has also revealed exercise helps her stay on top of her mental health.

Alongside race car driving, Jodie plays polo and rides horses.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, according to the NHS. This can be mild or severe.

The health body explains: “Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or job interview.

“During times like these, feeling anxious can be perfectly normal.

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“But some people find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily lives.”

Symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety can affect a person both physically and mentally.

Psychologically it can cause a person to feel restlessness, experience a sense of dread, feel constantly “on edge”, have difficulty concentrating and feel irritable.

Physically, it can cause a person to feel dizzy and tired, have a noticeably strong, fast or irregular heartbeat, have muscles aches and tension, have a dry mouth, have excessive sweating, shortness of breath and stomach ache.

How to treat anxiety

There are various evidence-based treatments that have been found to help with anxiety problems.

One Mind recommends is taking treatments. The charity explains: “There are two types of talking treatment recommended for anxiety and panic.

“Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – this focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviour, and teaches you coping skills for dealing with different problems.

“Applied relaxation therapy – this involves learning how to relax your muscles in situations where you normally experience anxiety.”

If anxiety is affecting your daily life or causing you distress, speak to your GP.

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