Samia Ghadie, 37, first appeared as an extra in Coronation Street as a young girl. Leaving quite an impression on producers, she eventually became a regular on the show, succeeding both Suzanne Shaw and Kimberley Walsh for the role of Maria. Life has not always been so rosy for the talented actress and last year she made the brave decision to speak out about health issues she has suffered from for over 25 years.
“I’ve never spoken about it before but I have had different forms of therapy over the years.
“With my anxiety, it’s always like a sense of dread that something bad is about to happen.
“It’ll be different, like obsessions. Recently it’s been like health anxiety about everything.”
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What is anxiety?
Mental Health Foundation says: “Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear which, when persistent and impacting on daily life may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
“It can involve physical feelings such as dizziness, nausea, heart palpitations, sweating, shortness of breath, headache or dry mouth.
“Occasionally feeling anxious, particularly about events or situations that are challenging or threatening, is a normal and extremely common response.
“However, if feelings of anxiety regularly cause significant distress or they start to impact on your ability to carry out your daily life, for example withdrawing with friends and family, feeling unable to go to work, or avoiding places then it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder”
It’s believed that around 264 million people worldwide have an anxiety disorder.
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in their lifetime.
The anxiety and depression association of America said: “In the past year, prevalence of any anxiety disorders was higher for females, with 23.4 percent, than for males at 14.3 percent.
“Signs of anxiety can include feeling nervous, irritable or on edge, having a sense of impending danger, an increased heart rate, breathing rapidly, feeling weak, difficulty concentrating and having trouble sleeping.”
For Samia, finding ways to cope with her anxiety has certainly reduced her symptoms.
The actress credits yoga and breathing exercises to help her feel more calm and balanced. The mother-of-two revealed she had tried multiple different types of counselling in a bid to overcome her issues, however, has ultimately just “learned to live with it”. “I’m hypersensitive.
“It’s like a daily battle against yourself, in a way.”
Other methods thought to help with feelings of anxiety include eating a well-balanced diet, limiting alcohol and caffeine, exercising and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
If you, or someone you know, may be suffering from anxiety, it’s important to speak to your GP, friends and family about the best solution to help ease the symptoms.
