‘Felt like I had no right to struggle’: Isabelle Mathers opens up on anxiety battle
Australian model Isabelle Mathers has broken her social media silence to reveal her 'debilitating' battle with anxiety despite her glamorous public image.
Australian model Isabelle Mathers has become one of the country’s most recognisable faces on social media, known for her stunning campaigns and glamorous lifestyle.
But behind the mini screen, the 26-year-old has opened up about something far more raw – her ongoing battle with anxiety and mental health.
For someone with 2.1 million followers, silence on social media doesn’t go unnoticed.
After weeks of inactivity, Mathers returned to Instagram with a vulnerable post, revealing that she has been “dealing with debilitating anxiety and some of the lowest moments” she had ever experienced.
Before sharing her story, Mathers explained that she had hesitated to open up, feeling as though her “privilege” meant she didn’t have the right to struggle.
“I’ve been dealing with debilitating anxiety and some of the lowest moments I’ve ever experienced. I never knew darkness like this existed, or maybe I just never understood how it could,” she said.
“For a while I felt like I couldn’t or shouldn’t share my truth, like I had no right to feel the way I did because of my privilege. But anxiety doesn’t care about circumstance, it’s the complete loss of control over your mind and body, no matter how many positives surround you.”
Mathers described how “an accumulation of personal things all hit at once” and sent her into a spiral she “didn’t know how to escape.”
She said her thoughts convinced her she would “feel this way forever,” and every day felt like “a battle between what [she] knew was rational and what [her] body refused to accept.”
“The physical anxiety was constant. Most days the only relief I felt was when I finally fell asleep. I’d wake up anxious and go to bed grateful for the stillness,” she said.
The model admitted that even as she was writing, “part of [her] feels dramatic or embarrassed for sharing,” before asking the question many people silently wrestle with – why do we feel ashamed to be honest about our struggles?
As the days get “a little easier,” Mathers also shared the steps that helped her cope: leaning on loved ones, spending time in nature, practising gratitude, booking small things to look forward to, and talking to someone she trusts.
“I remember feeling so alone in my thoughts, confused, scared and desperate to understand myself … so if this reaches anyone who needs to hear it, please know you’re not alone.”
Mathers ended her post by reminding followers that she is “not fixed or through it,” but learning to accept her anxiety as part of her journey, one that has taught her “strength, empathy and humility.”
Close friends and fellow influencer Amelia Marni and Tammy Hembrow were among the thousands flooding her post with love and support.
“Love you,” Marni said.
“Sending love angel girl,” Hembrow added.
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