Jennifer Lopez Speaks Out About Personal Battle With Panic Attacks

Jennifer Lopez is one A-lister who has her hand in many things. The superstar has impacted the entirety of Hollywood, making waves in music, acting, and many more. She is also renowned for her dancing prowess, beauty, and self-assurance.

Currently, the entertainer juggles a beauty line, gym sessions, studio sessions, with her bustling social life,

As such, one might expect the icon to always be on the go, maintaining the multi-interests in her busy life.

Although the multihyphenate often acts like she has everything under control, she once revealed that is not always the case. In an interview, she gave fans an insight into her battle with panic attacks.

Here's what she said about her ordeal with anxiety.

No one can predict when or how a panic attack could start. The sudden episodes of intense anxiety vary from person to person, accompanied by frightening symptoms, which spur different reactions in the individual.

For Lopez, her battle with the distressing ailment started after she starred in the 1997 American biographical musical drama film "Selena." After the film's production and its debut in the theaters, Lopez was assailed with overwhelming attention from everywhere she had to go at that time.

The situation worsened when die-hards took things up a notch. Lopez disclosed that they started approaching her in public, making her tremble in fear and ultimately triggering panic attacks.

"I never thought about fame until [Selena]," Lopez disclosed to W magazine. After that film, I would have panic attacks. I remember walking down the street, and someone yelled, 'Jennifer!' and I didn't know who it was. I ran home. From that point, I realized I couldn't be alone in public. I don't think I've been alone on the street in over 20 years."

From her revelation about avoiding staying alone in public, one might assume that Lopez no longer has bouts of anxiety. However, other situations have made the dance icon regress into such moments.

The American actress cited another panic attack incident in her book, True Love. The 288-page book was written about a time in her life when she was on tour. At that moment, she was also having issues with her then-husband, musician Marc Anthony.

A moment of anxiety made her realize that her relationship with Anthony had hit the rocks. As per her book, she wrote, "My heart was beating out of my chest, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I became consumed with fear and anxiety."

After the incident, she traced the cause of the attack to her marriage issues with Anthony. It served as the turning point for the dance icon, and the couple subsequently parted ways months later.

The downside of fame is the need for heightened security. The entertainer now knows that it is in her best interest to avoid going out to places alone and without the presence of her bodyguards. However, she still misses the time when she could transverse the corners of the city without any company.

She revealed her wish when quizzed by an audience member in an interview with AOL Build series. The individual had inquired how she would spend one day in New York without any media fanfare and if no one had an idea about her star status.

"Honestly, I think I would just walk the streets," Lopez responded. "I would walk the streets all day long, just back and forth, window shopping, maybe sitting outside at a café. I truly miss the freedom of walking around the city."

While talking to W Magazine, Lopez also discussed her career. The superstar revealed she often has a fully packed schedule that keeps her with almost no period for relaxation. However, Lopez admitted that having a hectic daily activity is not an issue. She finds pleasure in her work and is willing to give all her time to it.

In a way, Lopez's love for working seems to stem from competing with men in the industry. "It's a man's world, and, truly, people in a business setting do not value a woman as much as a man. I feel like I'm constantly having to prove myself. If a man does one thing well, people immediately say he's a genius," she said in the interview.

"Women have to do something remarkable over and over and over. And, even then, they get questions about their love life."