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Simon Gregson revealed that Coronation Street producers called in a doctor during his grueling 20-year battle with anxiety.
The 48-year-old actor, who has played taxi driver Steve McDonald since 1989, had to see a psychiatrist after his mental health led him to believe he had been suffering from mysterious illnesses for 20 years.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine on Thursday, he explained: ‘In 2015 it turned upside down and I didn’t know what it was.
‘I had heart scans and brain scans, they thought I had vertigo, then we went back to the beginning and my GP found out I had an anxiety disorder.
‘I then got counting fingers, tunnel vision and felt nauseous and dizzy. Fully in consultation.’
Mental health: Simon Gregson, 48, revealed Coronation Street producers called in a doctor during his grueling 20-year battle with anxiety
He continued, “It came to a head when I had to call my boss, I thought, ‘Look, I’m in my car, but I can’t get out of the driveway.’
Simon said the soap’s producers called in a doctor, who had helped the royal family and naval officers, to come to the set and help.
“I had six months off and went to the gym. I’ve done a lot of research and learned how your brain connects to the stomach. I retrained my brain not to worry,” he revealed.
He added: ‘All the people who come into Corrie’s now are taken to a room and told what will happen, press interference, how being famous – for lack of a better word – will change your life.
“But when we started there was none of that, so we just had to deal with it. And we grew huge overnight.
“It was the late eighties, early nineties and now I think it’s a lot easier to be on TV or in the public eye.”
Speaking about his character’s battle with depression, Simon explained how he struggled to have panic attacks despite having “10, 11, 12 a day” himself.
“I was like, ‘This couldn’t have come at a worse time,’ because I’m not feeling well.”
Difficult: On ITV’s Lorraine on Thursday, he explained: ‘I’ve had heart scans and brain scans, they thought I had vertigo. Then we went back to the beginning and my GP found out’
On screen: The actor, who joined the ITV soap at the age of 14, explained that some of his favorite storylines were the ones that highlighted important issues (pictured in 2006)
The actor added, “But when it came down to it and my character had a panic attack, I couldn’t do it, after ten times a day. I realized it was all psychosomatic.”
Speak with Cheshire life magazine in June of this year, Simon revealed that he has finally taken control of the condition and is starting to let things go easier.
He said, “Everyone has a mental trigger that can help with recovery. For me it was thinking, “Do I want to be surrounded by my family on my deathbed and wish I had worried more?”
‘No, I didn’t. That was a eureka moment. So now I just let go. I’ve learned to train my brain not to hold on to things that don’t matter.’
He continued: ‘I was always very anxious growing up and worried about what people thought of me. There were also times of depression. You can’t keep sweeping things under the carpet when your kids start noticing things. I went to a psychiatrist and he said I had had anxiety for over twenty years.’
In 2019, Simon first revealed that he suffered from anxiety in a BBC documentary, explaining how patients can struggle to perform typical daily tasks.
Simon, who joined the ITV soap at the age of 14, explained that some of his favorite storylines were those that highlighted the main issues.
In 2014, he shared his own experiences with depression through his character, who was secretly battling.
He revealed that the storyline “changed things for him personally” and that after highlighting the big issue, he had several other men thank him and say it “changed their lives” for getting the help they needed.
Get better: Simon said the soap’s producers had called a doctor, who has helped the royal family and naval officers, to come to the set and help
On the cobbles, favorite character Steve has been suffering from the affliction since the murder of Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan), but he has chosen to keep his feelings to himself and drive a wedge between him and Michelle Connor.
Rovers Return barmaid Michelle – played by Kym Marsh – was left heartbroken when partner Steve left their relationship after he refused to open up to her about his depression.
Kym told The mirror at the time: ‘She can’t understand. Every time they are together for a minute, he disappears. Michelle is absolutely heartbroken; she has no idea what she did wrong.’
When she threatens to end their relationship, Steve lets her leave without arguing.