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Castaway star Ben Fogle revealed last year that he battled 'crippling paranoia and anxiety' and has now offered a deeper insight into the methods of his recovery.
ByAlexandra Bullard
Ben Fogle, who previously shared he was diagnosed with ADHD last year, has opened up about the methods for his recovery after suffering a "mental health wobble." Last year, the travel presenter and Countryfile star shared his struggles on Instagram and felt it was vital to be open about his mental health woes. Ben wrote: "A year ago, I suffered a mental health wobble. An episode. A storm. A blip. I don't know if there is a specific term for it, but it was basically a burnt-out breakdown. I've been on quite a journey since. I've learnt a lot about my neurological uniquenesses." [sic]
The Castaway star has also credited the use of "CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), medicine, and now some alternative therapies." He's also started using a physical method to feel like his old self again.
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Ben Fogle opened up about his mental health woes last year (Image: Getty)
Ben has now credited saunas with making him feel better. In a piece with The Times, he explained his obsession with using them worldwide, in Russia, Sweden, and even Antarctica. He recently said that using them has been "like medicine."
He penned: "When I had a mental health wobble 18 months ago, the sauna switched from meditative to therapeutic. It really was my medicine, and I credit my recovery in part to hot and cold therapy (don’t take my advice on this, always ask a professional)."
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Ben has detailed his obssession with saunas (Image: Getty)
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Ben added: "To sweat feels like releasing all the anxiety, irritation, worry and fear. I feel lighter, happier and calmer after one. I sleep better and think clearer. I am a sauna purist. I like to sit in silence. It is a meditation for me. My brain zones out and I think of nothing."
He also explained that he goes to his sauna every day when he's home, "I have found tremendous healing, comfort, and happiness in a sauna. In Nordic nations, they say it is the poor man’s pharmacy. They really are nature’s medicine."
His comments come after he didn't listen to warning signs his body signalled to him ahead of his mental breakdown.
Ben said on the High-Performance podcast, "I think what happened in 2023 is that I overdid it; I didn't listen to some of the little warning signs that I think we all have. The body is an amazing thing, the brain is an amazing thing and I don't think I listened entirely to what I was doing to myself."
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