Valerie Bertinelli candidly shared a video of herself suffering the aftereffects of a “really bad” anxiety attack to raise awareness for mental health.
“I’ve sat on this post for a day because it’s incredibly vulnerable and that’s always scary to share,” the actress, 64, captioned a clip on Instagram Sunday of her hand shaking uncontrollably. “But I’m posting because we’re all out here doing our best having a human experience and none of us want to feel like we’re alone in that.”
Bertinelli went on to explain that she suffered a “really bad anxiety attack” that day — something that had not happened in “a very, very long time” — and had been “shaking” and “weeping uncontrollably” while her heart “felt like it was pounding out of [her] chest.”
She went on to say that because her attacks have become more infrequent throughout the years, she was surprised by the one she had just gone through.
“As I’m going through the actual attack […] I almost disassociate and am focused solely on calming down and finding any road to a more relaxed and peaceful body,” the “One Day at a Time” alum wrote before pointing out that her hand shaking is an aftereffect of the attack that she “can’t quite seem to calm all the way yet.”
She went on to point out that her “body goes into overdrive” after her brain is “overthinking and catastrophizing,” something she has “no control over.”
“Part of me is fascinated by what the human body is capable of when our feelings can get in the way or override any reasonable thought,” she continued. “And another part of me is just curious on how all of this happens.”
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Bertinelli concluded her post by asking whether any of her fans go through “extreme anxiety attacks” and what they do to calm down if so.
“Tell me I’m not the only one out there,” she begged. “Anyway…this little bit of vulnerability is brought to you by someone who wants you to know you’re not alone.”
Following her post, many fans took to the comments section to applaud the Golden Globe winner for being open, while others shared their own vulnerabilities.
“Real Housewives of Orange County” alum Gretchen Rossi wrote, “This is a real thing, and it’s not fun to experience, thank you for sharing and being vulnerable.”
Another person commented, “Genuinely, thank you for sharing this…”
A third shared, “Been there. Took myself to the hospital once and they laughed at me. It’s no joke. Sending LOVE.”
Meanwhile, a fourth wrote, “I haven’t experienced this but I think it’s really beautiful you’ve chosen to share this because I’m sure it will help others out there feel less alone and realize it’s okay to be vulnerable and ask for help.”
Bertinelli’s post comes two weeks after People reported she and her boyfriend, Mike Goodnough, had broken up.
After a source made the claim, Goodnough said in a cryptic statement to the magazine, “Valerie and I are the only two people with insight into our relationship. Neither of us pays much attention to chatter among people outside of it.”
As for the “Hot in Cleveland” star, she has remained quiet about her current relationship status.
Bertinelli and Goodnough started dating in January before making their red carpet debut in June.
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