Valerie Bertinelli recently suffered a terrifying anxiety attack.
The former Food Network star, 64, shared an Instagram video on Sunday of her hand shaking, and opened up about the “scary” incident in her lengthy caption.
“I’ve sat on this post for a day because it’s incredibly vulnerable and that’s always scary to share,” Bertinelli wrote. “But I’m posting because we’re all out here doing our best having a human experience and none of us want to feel like we’re alone in that.”
Valerie Bertinelli on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
“So I don’t know if you can tell from this video (and my heart is still beating a little rapidly as I write this) I had a really bad anxiety attack today,” she explained. “I haven’t had one like this in a very, very long time. 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.”
Valerie Bertinelli’s Instagram post.
Valerie Bertinelli shares a video of her hand shaking. Instagram / @wolfiesmom
Valerie Bertinelli’s shaking hand. Instagram / @wolfiesmom
The “One Day at a Time” actress said that she’s “taking a chance” by sharing her story of her anxiety attack, but she wants to reach other people who have dealt with similar experiences.
“Gratefully these attacks have become much more infrequent, so this one took me a little bit by surprise today,” she shared. “This is the after effect. As I’m going through the actual attack (lol attack is such an appropriate word. My body and my mind feels like it’s actually under attack
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).”
Valerie Bertinelli at the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards. Variety via Getty Images
Bertinelli continued, “I almost disassociate and am focused solely on calming down and finding any road to a more relaxed and peaceful body. Because I know it’s just my brain overthinking and catastrophizing but my body goes into overdrive and I have no control over it. Hours later, as I’m doing my best to meditate and EMDR my way out of this, this is the after effect that I can’t quite seem to calm all the way yet.”
Valerie Bertinelli on “Good Morning America.” ABC
“Anyone else experience an extreme anxiety attack, and then the after effects still take a bit to calm?” she asked her followers. “Tell me I’m not the only one out here
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and is there anything that you have also found to be helpful?”
“Anyway…this little bit of vulnerability is brought to you by someone who wants you to know you’re not alone. Love you
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,” Bertinelli concluded her message.
Fans showed support for Bertinelli in the comments section. Some of her followers who have had anxiety attacks told Bertinelli that she’s “not alone.”
Valerie Bertinelli at the 2024 Daytime Emmy Awards. Getty Images for NATAS
“Thank you for sharing raw vulnerability. It can happen even during the happiest moments. Grateful for your posts,” one fan wrote.
“Val you’re so brave to share… unexpected and scary as hell!” another person said.
A third fan commented, “Aww I feel for you…you are only human.”
Bertinelli has been open about her recent health issues. Last month, she cut her arm after tripping on a stage.
“I would ask for hazard pay, but it was my own damn fault,” Bertinelli wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the nasty gash.
Valerie Bertinelli after injuring her arm. Valerie Bertinelli/Instagram
The TV personality, who also called herself a “klutz,” said she was working on a “fun new project” when the incident occurred.
Her recent health scare comes after she reportedly split from boyfriend Mike Goodnough after 10 months of dating.
“They are no longer in a relationship,” a source told People.
“There was something about him that I connected with that felt familiar. A comfort level. He felt like a kindred spirit,” Bertinelli previously told the outlet. “We finally said, ‘Why are we doing this? It’s going to be challenging because it’s long distance but why not? You only live once.”
Bertinelli and Goodnough created the “three-week rule” under which they wouldn’t go longer than that without seeing each other, despite living on opposite sides of the country. They went red carpet official at the 2024 Daytime Emmy Awards in June.
