Perrie Edwards locked herself indoors during her anxiety struggles

Asked how her struggles affected her ability to be part of Little Mix, Perrie explained: "It's weird. It affected it in a huge way, but it also didn't affect it at all, if that makes sense?

"When the panic attacks got bad, I didn't want to leave the house. My mum and Sam, my manager, had to meet at my house to take me to work because I couldn't bear the idea of being in a car on my own.

"And I've always been really independent. I've always loved my own space. I lived near fields with nothing around me and that was my happy place.

"Then all of a sudden it slipped and now that's my idea of hell. So I like to be surrounded by people now because I feel like if I was to have a panic attack, it'd be better if I had somebody with me.

"So it messed up work in the day-to-day sense, but it's never affected being on stage, because performing's what I love to do. That's where I feel most comfortable and the most safe, I suppose."

Perrie feels the general public don't treat mental health issues seriously enough.

The pop star also admitted to being frustrated by the lack of understanding.

The 'Shout Out to My Ex' hitmaker told the BBC: "It's the worst thing in the world.

"It's quite frustrating, because if someone broke their leg, you wouldn't say, 'Oh, just get on stage and perform, you're fine.'

"But because you can't see anxiety, it's a mental illness, people don't necessarily believe in it as much."