Coronation Street Kym Ryder´s agoraphobia

21 December 2007 - Kym Ryder feared she would develop agoraphobia.

The 'Coronation Street' star suffers panic attacks but was determined to overcome them after they began to control her life.

Kym told Britain's The Guardian newspaper: "I was driving my car the first time I had one and my daughter was just a few weeks old - so I avoided driving. And then I had one in the supermaket so I didn't go into the supermarket any more.

"Eventually I wouldn't go anywhere because everywhere I went I thought I was bound to have one. It was taking me all my time to walk to my mum's house around the corner, which was scary because that's when people get agoraphobic.

"I went to see someone and I was diagnosed with anxiety attacks. I did some life coaching and now I drive myself to work every day, it doesn't worry me any more."

The 31-year-old actress - who lives in Warrington with her husband, former 'EastEnders' star Jack Ryder and her two children David, 12 and Emily, 10 - is now able to live a normal life, but admits the panic attacks are hard to deal with.

She said: "I still get them every now and again. I hyperventilate and I start to feel like I can't breathe. My throat closes up and I get sweaty palms and I start feeling light-headed, dry-mouthed. They are really scary."

(C) BANG Media International