Peter Andre admits he used to sleep 18 hours a day to avoid crippling panic attacks
Peter Andre has admitted that he used to force himself to sleep for 18 hours a day in order to avoid crippling panic attacks.
The Mysterious Girl singer said that, at the height of his struggles with anxiety, he could often suffer 20 panic attacks in a single day.
Read more: Andre says fan groped him at a gig
He revealed in an interview with Woman’s Own that his attacks would often come out of nowhere, recounting one incident in which he started shaking during a family meal.
“My mind became flooded with images of me hurting myself, it was terrifying,” he said.
The singer added: “I ran to my room crying and shaking, I was rushed to hospital.
“For two years, I suffered up to 20 panic attacks a day.
“My only escape was when I was sleeping, so I would often spend up to 18 hours a day asleep.”
Read more: Andre calls for reality shows to be cancelled
The 46-year-old said that fame got to him when he was at the height of his successful music career.
He said: “I felt like I was an icon, and I started living like one.
“The worst thing you can do is start believing the hype surrounding you. All the signs were showing that mentally I wasn’t in the best shape.”
Andre rose to fame in Australia in the 1990s, following an appearance on talent show New Faces in 1989.
His second album, which included Mysterious Girl, reached number one in the UK charts and drew him back to Britain, where he was born.
He received another boost in 2004 when he appeared as a contestant on reality show I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, where he met future wife Katie Price.
Read more: Andre left furious after Katie Price discussion
Andre has spoken out about his struggles with mental health in the past, appearing on This Morning to discuss his belief that therapy is preferable to medication in treating anxiety.
He has also revealed he struggled with approaches from a stalker during his early years of fame.
