Brett Eldredge Recalls Panic Attack On Stage: ‘The Scariest Experience That I Ever Had’

Brett Eldredge has openly discussed his struggles with mental health throughout his life and how it has impacted his career as he’s grown into an adult. In a new video on Instagram, the renowned country singer/songwriter recalls the vulnerable moment where he experienced a panic attack in front of a crowd for the first time.

He vividly remembers sitting down for an interview to discuss new music in what should have been a routine conversation. However, things took a major turn when he suddenly started to notice his heart rate pick up, sweat pouring down his face and a feeling of overwhelming nausea take over. The anxiety was so intense, he feared he might faint or get sick in front of the audience.

The video flipped to the interview when the host simply asked Eldredge to discuss the writing process behind a song. The next clip was Eldredge in the present day, reflecting on what was happening in that moment.

“He’s asking me a simple question about a song…I’m sitting back and all of a sudden everything starts to take over my mind. I start to sweat just oceans of sweat, at least it feels like it. My heart is pounding 10,000 miles an hour. I feel so nauseous, like I’m going to puke all over the entire crowd, and it’s just so intense in my mind,” he recalls.

Referring back to the old snippet of footage, Eldredge appeared to answer the question just fine. He pointed out the fact that no one would have noticed he was having a panic attack or feeling an immense amount of anxiety surge through him. This would lead to an ongoing fear of when the next attack would be, and how he would react if it happened again.  

“You probably didn’t even know I had the panic attack, but the reality is, it spurred this feeling of constantly having a fear of having my next panic attack. So every time I would get in social situations or in interviews, I would start to have that feeling weeks ahead in advance. Even sometimes still I’ll feel this feeling of, I’m going to puke in front of everybody and the world’s going to end. It is extremely normal to have these, but it is extremely intense. It is the scariest experience that I ever had.”

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Having gone through this, Eldredge can confidently say that each time, the anxiety does pass, and he survives every situation where it might arise. He’s now using this knowledge and experience to help others in the same situation feel less alone.

“I just want you to know that if you go through these or experience these, there’s a lot of different ways you can get help with this, whether it be through therapy, through medication, through different forms of breathing. Hang in there,” he said. “If you have panic attacks, share your story with others. It’s not a weakness. So I love you. I’m here for you. There are a lot of people that’ll be there for you. If you have panic attacks, hang in there. Take a deep breath. You’re going to have it all figured out one of these days, and if not, that’s all right.”

In his caption, the “Gorgeous” singer encouraged people to share their own experiences with panic attacks in the comment section in order to reaffirm the idea that no one is battling their demons on their own. The reality is, there is a whole community out there willing to help others find the support they need.

Among the many fans who opened up in the comment section, a few of Eldredge’s friends in the industry also commended him on his honesty and got vulnerable about their experiences with mental health.

TV personality, Carson Daly wrote “Yep! For decades & never knew what it was! Thanks for sharing brother🙌🙌”

Carly Pearce also emphasized with his struggles, saying “I understand this on such a deep level. So amazing that you’re sharing this to help make everyone who deals with them (and me) not feel alone ❤️”

The Illinois native previously told ABC News’ Dan Harris that the panic attacks began back when he was a child. There would be nights when he’d feel numb and short of breath, feeling unsure of what was happening to his body.  

“As a kid, I would kind of have like a panic attack … but I didn’t even know what that was,” Eldredge said. “[In] college, I remember times where I would go to a party and I would be breaking into sweats and, like, just drenched, and I’d just [think], ‘Is something wrong with me?’”

From then on, his anxiety would continue to present itself in “a very physical” way and sometimes even resulted in him going to the emergency room.

“I can’t tell you how many times I went to the doctor thinking, ‘There’s something really wrong,’” he said. “I’m always looking for somebody else that’s experiencing the same thing as me. It’s because you feel like you’re all alone.”

Eldredge has since found different ways to cope with his anxiety and, in the process, discovered a mission to speak up about mental health, something that has become as important to his journey as his music. By opening up about his personal experiences, he’s also helped to normalize conversations around the vulnerable topic.

His previous records, Sunday Drive (2020) and Songs About You (2022), are clear examples of how he has written and released unapologetically real songs that address his struggles. This collection is a product of all the work he has put into finding self-love and becoming an advocate for mental health.

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“I still have my days, but going through making this record, I’ve never felt more confident in myself and strongly about the music I’m making and more importantly, the person that I am away from all the music,” he previously told Country Now and other outlets.

He captures real emotions in a way he’s never done before, which acted as a form of therapy for him as well as those who listen to the honest tracks.

“If I’m not writing to use it as therapy, then I’m listening. Writing, I go through stages where I’m deep in a certain place in my life where I’m reflective.”

More recently, he unveiled the Lonestar Lovers EP, which features a new chapter of authentic tunes like the love-filled “Gorgeous” and “You’ll Be Mine,” which credited as being a song that “brings me joy.”

This is a new era of music for Brett Eldredge, one that showcase his personal and professional growth and sets the tone for the direction of his career.