Strictly star Vicky Pattison cries ‘taking everything away’ (Image: BBC)

Vicky Pattison made a heartbreaking confession as she opened up about an ongoing struggle. The Strictly Come Dancing contestant, 37, revealed she feels “utterly lost” for days on end as she addressed a recent diagnosis. The former Geordie Shore star, who is currently making waves on the Strictly dancefloor, shared her despair during a candid conversation with Women’s Health. The TV presenter and reality star explained she has been diagnosed with PMDD, or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

Speaking on the Just As Well podcast, Vicky said: “It is often described as heightened PMS. You can get a myriad of symptoms and it manifests itself differently in a lot of people. For me, I experience exhaustion, insomnia, crippling anxiety, self-loathing, dark thoughts.”

Read more: Strictly’s Dianne Buswell and Stefan Dennis issue BBC update after ill health

Strictly’s Vicky Pattison was almost close to tears (Image: instagram WOMENS HEALTH)

The Strictly star explained this is what she goes through every month at least 7 to 10 days before her period.

“I once heard it described as imagine in a month you build a sandcastle of really good habits,” she explained. “You nurture your relationships, you go to the gym, you work hard, you eat right.

Vicky continued: “And then this wave comes and takes everything away.”

“And all it leaves in its place is just hopelessness and despair. And you feel like that. You feel utterly lost.”

Vicky Pattison graced the front cover of Women’s Health (Image: Matthew Monfredi/Women’s Health)

She descibed the “strong, articulate woman” she is for most of the month “completely disappears”.

Vicky admitted that she struggles to speak at times and a common symptom of PMDD is brain fog.