JM de Guzman, who has made no secret of his mental health struggles, shared on Monday, August 17, how he deals with his panic disorder, in the hopes of helping others who might be in a similar situation.
On Instagram, the “Pamilya Ko” actor posted a video of him putting an ice over his head, with the caption, “This is what my panic disorder looks like 4:00 a.m., [in the] middle of a good sleep.”
“Intense waves of emotions. Rapid heart beat that’ll make you feel you are about to pass out or die,” he said.
“I use ice to slow down the heart beat and to feel my face because my body is numb, overpowered by emotions,” he continued. “This maybe caused by a painful trauma in the past.”
JM, 31, had struggled with substance abuse. He went into rehabilitation twice to deal with his addiction—in 2013 and in 2015.
After a total of three years out of the spotlight, he returned to showbiz to continue his acting career. He has since done teleseryes “Precious Hearts Romances Presents: Araw Gabi” and “Pamilya Ko,” as well as movies “Kung Paano Siya Nawala,” “Last Fool Show” and, most recently, “Love Lockdown.”
In his post, JM said he wanted to share the video hoping that others might relate and to let them know that “you are not alone.”
“I managed to record this because somehow I’m learning to cope with it and just hoping others might relate and to let you know you’re not alone,” he wrote.
JM went on: “If you have this too, put ice on your face, head hand and body. Just pray
and deep breaths and make the people around you understand [your] condition tell them to stop asking questions and just be there. So the attack will subside quicker rather than triggered.”
“It’ll be over after 30 or 40 mins. and you’ll be fine. Keep telling that to yourself so that’s the only thing running inside your mind,” he added.
Ending his post, JM said that, “To be aware is to he alive.”