In a lengthy letter to her followers, she asked them to “ask for help” after discovering the “staggering revelation.”
Ashley Judd has opened up about her health journey with chronic headaches.
Ahead of Mental Health Day on October 10, the 56-year-old actress posted a long letter on her Instagram to mark the occasion. The actress revealed that she finally received treatment for her headaches after being misdiagnosed for eight years.
“As we mark #WorldMentalHealthDay this week, I wanted to share an update with you all on my own health journey. Xx,” Judd’s caption read, accompanying her heartfelt letter to her 729k strong “community”.
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“What happened was that I discovered, through an auspicious friendship, that my headaches had been misdiagnosed for eight years,” the Double Jeopardy actress’ post read. “Which meant that for those eight miserable years I had been treated, at some of our finest medical institutions, with medications for a type of headache that I do not have.”
“What a staggering revelation! To know that I had gone through all that suffering unnecessarily because all the solutions prescribed were doomed to fail, has been profoundly disillusioning,” she continued.
“But I am now being cared for by headache scientists with a far better approach,” Judd said. “Since September 14th, my body has felt well — the ‘pain burden’ has lifted.”
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The star said her “head pain is intermittent these days” but on the other hand, her “hope is renewed.”
Judd shared the gratitude she has for her support system, which includes sister Wynonna Judd, her aunt and “those deep in the wisdom of body arts and, my partner.”
“Sometimes all we did was cry. Sometimes we sang a mindfulness song,” she added. “Sometimes we held each other and slept.”
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She encouraged her community to reach out for help if they have been suffering with chronic pain and to continue “supporting” themselves and “meeting” their own needs.
Judd then concluded her letter with the Bible verses of Psalms 116: 5-8.
“The Lord watches over all of creation; I was brought very low, and God helped me. Turn again to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has treated you well. For you have rescued my life from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling. I will walk in the presence of the LORD in the land of the living.”
The star’s carousel also included a clip of herself sitting by a fire and singing “Breathing In, Breathing Out” by Plum Village and a photo of the book Prayers of Honor by Pixie Lighthorse.
