Former boy band star Niall Horan has opened up about his mild Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, anxiety, and how they affect his stage performances and stellar career.
The Mullingar native opened up about his struggles with the neuroses to German magazine ZEIT LEO in a soon-to-be-published interview.
Horan told the outlet "I have a slight obsessive-compulsive disorder. In other words, I have the feeling that I have to do certain things."
Examples that the 24-year-old pointed to included always having to sing in the same order, following the same fixed sequence when going on stage, eating food in a certain pattern, and avoiding certain triggers that make him become restless.
"These are just a few such ticks in my life," the star said. "I live with them, and I do not care what others think about it."
Horan went on to talk about how OCD affected his school life and ability to make friends with his peers.
"Unfortunately, I did not have many friends at school. That I was in such a position disturbed my classmates."
The singer/songwriter previously shared how anxiety and mental health issues have been a factor in his on-stage performances.
In 2017, he opened up that his performances can make him "a little anxious."
Read More: Niall Horan to collaborate with top Irish orchestra
Read More: Hailee Steinfeld keeps quiet on Niall Horan romance rumors
Read More: Niall Horan is a massive hit on Twitter - with 35 million more followers than any other Irish person
The star told Australian 97.3 radio hosts Bianca, Terry and Bob,
"I tend to get it a lot around stage time, and I start freaking out with TV shows and stuff, but you kind of breathe your way out of it."
He went on to explain his repetitive "box breathing" technique - whereby you take a deep breath in for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, and then hold your breath for four seconds.
Comments