Olly Murs health: The Voice judge reveals health battle sparked by a specific incident

Olly Murs may have come second in the sixth series of X Factor, but that has not stopped him from forging a hugely successful career in the music industry.

The singer rocked the UK charts with three number one singles and embarked on sold-out arena tours.

Olly has also proven his chops as a TV personality on ITV’s The Voice, which sees him mentor aspiring musicians.

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His TV turn hasn’t always been a hit, however, and it was a live TV blunder back in 2015, that shook his confidence, inducing anxiety and panic attacks.

The incident took place when he hosted the X Factor back in 2015.

The singer prematurely revealed The X Factor exit result, a move that saw him mired in controversy and claims that the show was fixed.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, the singer revealed how the ensuing backlash diminished his self-confidence.

He said: “I’m the most upbeat, fun person there is. I love having a good time, but the aftermath with the Press and what people were saying to me in the street.

“It was difficult to take. I had to put my feelings to the side and puff my chest out.

When Olly got offered to join The Voice as a judge a couple of years later, the crippling anxiety came roaring back.

He said: “Can I do it again? If I make a mistake, what are people going to say? It made me feel like I couldn’t do the job. I was like, ‘why am I feeling like this? It’s not me. I would never ever let something like this get me down’.”

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Luckily, talking to a stranger helped Olly to confront his anxiety, helping him to make sense of his feeling and take ownership of them.

What is anxiety?

According to the NHS, anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe.

As the health site explains, everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life, for example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or job interview.

It is perfectly normal to feel anxious in these circumstances but some people find it hard to control their worries.

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“Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily lives,” says the NHS.

While Olly’s anxiety was triggered by a specific event, it can also be caused a wide range of situations and issues, rather than one specific event – this is called generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).

GAD can cause both psychological (mental) and physical symptoms.

These vary from person to person, but can include:

• Feeling restless or worried
• Having trouble concentrating or sleeping
• Dizziness or heart palpitations

When to see a GP

Although feelings of anxiety at certain times are completely normal, see a GP if anxiety is affecting your daily life or causing you distress, advises the NHS.

How to treat GAD

If you have been diagnosed with GAD, you’ll usually be advised to try psychological treatment before you’re prescribed medication.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave, is usually recommended to help alleviate symptoms.

“If the psychological treatments above haven’t helped or you’d prefer not to try them, you’ll usually be offered medication,” explains the NHS.

It adds: “Some medication is designed to be taken on a short-term basis, while other medicines are prescribed for longer periods.”

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