Fearne Cotton: Social media can worsen depression
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Walking away from BBC Radio 1 in 2015 and then again from the risque panel show Celebrity Juice in 2018, Fearne has instead focused on health and wellness. Continuing to struggle with mental health issues herself, the star totally refuses the myth that “people on TV or social media are these perfect people with perfect lives, of course it’s a lot of b**”.
After feeling like she couldn’t connect with the entertainment industry, Fearne has instead released three self-help books titled Calm, Quiet and Happy, in which she draws on personal experiences.
The books aim to help people navigate daily stressors and arrive at a place of happiness.
However, Fearne understands more than anyone that mental health can go from high to low in the space of a day.
Yesterday on Instagram she posted to her 3.3 million followers about how she has recently been struggling with intrusive thoughts and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
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She also commented on the depression that she experienced in her early 30s and how intrusive thoughts can make you “feel completely out of control”.
Now 39 years of age, Fearne offered a bit of advice to those who may be experiencing similar situations.
In the post she said: “Normality has been halted so it’s no wonder that many might be experiencing this sort of thing.
“Go easy on yourself. When fear is ubiquitous it’s hard not to let it in on some level.”
Channeling her self-help books she added: “In those moments I look for safety in common sense if possible.
“I speak to someone I trust, or get grounded by listening to something.”
The soul-bearing post gained over 69,000 likes and a flood of support from celebrity friends including singer Pixie Lott and reality TV star Jamie Laing.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2020, Fearne also opened up about the dread she experienced the night before her first television appearance during the first lockdown.
She recalled laying in bed consumed by panic: “Intellectually, I know I’m going to be OK, but my body goes into panic.
“It’s a whole PTSD thing, feeling unsafe in certain spaces. I worry something is going to go wrong or I’ll be judged, and I go into catastrophe mode.”
But it is Fearne’s ability to look at her mental health difficulties in an alternative way, tapping into good places rather than bad.
It is this work that led her to winning Mental Health Advocate of the Year at Stylist’s Remarkable Women Awards 2020.
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Intrusive thought are a common symptom of OCD.
The condition involves frequent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
Intrusive thoughts usually involve unpleasant thoughts, images or urges that repeatedly enter your mind and lead to feelings of anxiety, disgust or fear.
Therapy and/or medicines can often help to reduce the impact of this condition on your life, and a GP’s guidance should always be sought.
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