Grimes Shares She Was Hospitalized for a Panic Attack Post-SNL Appearance

Panic attacks can be scary, something that singer Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, knows very well.

Grimes appeared on Saturday Night Live as Princess Peach on Saturday’s Elon Musk-hosted episode (Grimes has been in a relationship with Musk since 2018). In an Instagram post, Grimes wrote on Wednesday that she had a panic attack and went to the hospital, adding, “Which tbh was quite scary and I suppose it’s a good time to start therapy.”

 

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A panic attack, according to the Mayo Clinic, “is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.” While panic attacks are not life-threatening, people who have them may feel like they are dying.

Panic attack symptoms range from person to person, but generally include the following:

• Sense of impending doom or danger
• Fear of loss of control or death
• Rapid, pounding heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling or shaking
• Shortness of breath or tightness in your throat
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or faintness
• Feeling of unreality or detachment

A panic attack is not a diagnosis, and people who live with a range of mental health conditions may experience them, including people who live with obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder.

In an article for The Mighty, Paige, who lives with panic disorder, explained how panic attacks are not the same as having anxiety or being afraid. “People like me, with panic disorder, don’t always know their triggers. Sometimes, it comes out of nowhere and catches you off guard, and some people’s symptoms can differ,” Paige wrote. “First, I start to sweat profusely, and my head starts to spin out of nowhere. I get really hot and feel claustrophobic, feeling as if my heart is going to beat out of my chest.” Paige hopes that this description “gives people an insight into what a true panic attack is, as opposed to something scaring you or having anxiety.”

For some people who have panic attacks, it can be difficult to not be hard on themselves for how their mental health affects them. It may be helpful to celebrate small victories. “It is important to understand if putting on my shoes without a panic attack is all I can manage, then that is a victory,” Stacey Frewin, who lives with OCD, writes on The Mighty. “It is too easy to berate myself for what feels like a lack of ability.”

What has your experience with panic attacks been like? You can share in the comments below.