Valerie Bertinelli garnered serious praise from fans for showing the courage to open up about a recent anxiety attack and how she was feeling the aftereffects hours later.
The Food Network alum shared a video of her hand visibly shaking above a table on Sunday, November 17. “I’m doing my best. Oof, the aftereffects of an anxiety attack f—ing suck,” she said in the clip.
In the caption, Bertinelli confessed that she waited to post the update because it’s an incredibly vulnerable experience, and that’s always scary to share. However, she decided to post it in hopes of helping others going through a “similar human experience,” because, after all, “none of us want to feel like we’re alone in that.”
“A few hours ago, I was weeping uncontrollably, and my heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest. I couldn’t stop shaking,” she shared. Bertinelli noted that even hours after her anxiety subsided, her body continued to shake and wouldn’t calm down despite her efforts. She then asked her followers to share tips for managing the aftereffects of similar episodes.
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Fans flooded the comments section with kind messages and advice from their own experiences. One suggested counting deep breaths, another advised eating the most sour candy available, saying, “The more sour, the better.” A third person recommended putting hands in ice-cold water to help calm the shaking.
One fan simply praised Bertinelli for sharing her experience publicly, calling her decision “beautiful.” They said they were sure Bertinelli’s openness would help others feel less alone and realize it’s okay to be vulnerable and ask for help.
The actress has been candidly open about her health lately. A couple of months ago, she shared that her old age had influenced her decision to stop drinking.
