Scarlett Moffatt speaks out about anxiety battle which left her housebound

Scarlett moffatt

by Daisy Jordan |
Published on

**Scarlett Moffatt is one of the biggest TV names in showbiz after finding fame on Channel 4's Gogglebox, then going on to win last year's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! **

But despite her achievements, even Scarlett suffers from anxiety and has now spoken out about her battle that left her unable to leave the house for fear of being the victim of an acid attack.

Speaking to the Mirror, she said, "Recently my anxiety has been really bad, especially after seeing those acid attacks on the news.

"I’d cry for two hours in the morning, because I had it in my head that people would see the camera and that would make me a target.

“In my head I was going to be an acid attack victim. It sounds bizarre, because the chances of that happening are so small, but that’s how my brain works.

Scarlett Moffatt
(Credit: Instagram/Scarlett Moffatt) ©(Credit: Instagram/Scarlett Moffatt)

“I would replay it over and over in my head to the point where I would be crying constantly.”

Scarlett explained the anxiety began soon after she first starred in Gogglebox in 2014, suffering from terrifying panic attacks which only seemed to get worse and worse.

“I got to the front door and convinced myself something was going to go wrong," she said. "I had palpitations and I could feel the blood rushing round my body

"It felt almost like I was having an out-of-body experience. Everything seemed to go silent.

“Sometimes I would pass out. I would know if that was happening because I would get tingly fingers, so I would lie down on the floor.

“It became a daily struggle. I would get to my front door, cry, then go back and try to pump myself up again. Sometimes I got out the door after nine or 10 goes. Sometimes I stayed inside all day.”

The anxiety later appeared to turn obsessive and the reality TV star admitted she became terrified for the safety of her family.

Scarlett Moffatt on Gogglebox
Scarlett Moffatt on Gogglebox ©Channel 4

“I started getting really agitated by silly things. I could only have the volume in the car on an even number. I would imagine crashing into a tree if the volume was a number 13.

“I had to walk up the stairs using every other step otherwise I worried one of my family members was going to die.

“I knew I shouldn’t feel like this but I was too embarrassed to tell anyone.”

Fortunately, Scarlett overcame her concerns about speaking out and eventually sought help from her GP and began a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

She also meditates daily to prevent her anxiety, and while it still crops up from time to time, the bubbly character says she feels more in control, adding, “My anxiety is still there, but I try not to let it dominate things, because then you let it win.”

NOW READ: 16 of the funniest Scarlett Moffatt quotes EVER.

Scarlett Moffatt: Everything you need to know

Scarlett Moffatt hits back at skinny shamers: "I'm definitely not too thin"

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us