Panic stations

While reading the Guardian magazine this weekend I was pleasantly surprised to come across a Q&A with the singer Laura Mvula not just because she is a pretty amazing singer but because alongside her obsession with Prince she spoke very openly about having  panic attacks. It was great to see someone so famous speaking so candidly about this, particularly one who appears so confident and happy to be in the public eye.

Unfortunately on googling her I noticed that she had tweeted about having 'several panic attacks' during the final episode of Sherlock because it was so good.

This kind of language feeds into so many myths around mental health and is a real misuse of language and meaning. As someone who has suffered debilitating panic attacks in the past that affected every part of my life, I bristle greatly when someone announces dramatically that they 'nearly had a panic attack' when what they really mean is that they became stressed or worried. It is similar to people talking about being 'depressed' when actually they are feeling a bit down or claims of being a 'little bit OCD' just because you like things in order. In short this kind of throwaway statement really trivialises mental health conditions and downplays the life changing consequences for many.

 

That is not to say there cannot be some light when it comes to mental health problems and maybe I am being too harsh. Maybe because Mvula is a true sufferer she feels she is able to joke about her condition. In the same way I will often term myself 'a bit mad' which is a word that offends many. Of course I wouldn't use this if talking about someone else or generally about mental health but as a personal description it is something I feel very comfortable with.

 

I shouldn't underestimate the power of her talking about her panic attacks. People are still so ashamed of mental health conditions. When asked about how close she has come to dying Mvula replies;
'Pretty much every day. I have panic attacks, and when you have a panic attack, you think you're dying.'

This is the experience of the millions of people who experience panic attacks, many without realising what they are, so if reading about her experience encourages just one person to seek help then it is worth it.

 

Of course such a format means that we don't know if Mvula is seeking help for panic attacks herself which may leave readers feeling as though they are something that you just have to put up with. I have a friend who has not travelled on public transport in London for years because of untreated panic attacks and yet I found a course of intensive CBT combined with medication allowed me to live my life again. Not that it works (or is available!) for everyone but it is all too easy to dismiss mental illness as something that is just there rather that something that can be changed.

 

I hope we hear more from Laura Mvula about her panic attacks and how she copes with them. Anxiety which is often underlying in people who panic can make people feel as though they are somehow weak or unable to cope and so to see someone succeeding in such a tough industry as well as admitting there is a problem is a breath of fresh air, as long as she thinks before she tweets in future!