The Real Reason Ireland Baldwin Says She Lives In 'Constant Fear' Of Dying

The Baldwins are no strangers to the spotlight, but it's Alec Baldwin who has found the most fame (and made the most headlines) often for all the wrong reasons. Back in 2007, for example, the actor called an 11-year-old Ireland Baldwin a "rude, thoughtless pig" in a leaked voicemail and, although he later apologized, per Daily Mail, their father-daughter relationship was never the same. However, that public humiliation didn't stop Ireland from chasing her happiness and pursuing her own dreams in the spotlight as a model. In 2013, at the age of 17, she signed with IMG Models and Two Management and joyously tweeted (via US Weekly), "I'm blessed, happy, and ready to WEEEEERK." She's since amassed a net worth of $1 million and found love with boyfriend Corey Harper — but her journey has been anything but easy.

Over the years, Ireland has spoken candidly about her "emotional trauma," which resulted in her checking into rehab in 2015, per Page Six, along with her struggle with anorexia. In 2018, she revealed that she "battled with many eating disorders and body issues as a younger girl and it took me a long time to find self love and acceptance," per People. Now, Ireland's once again speaking honestly about her fight to be happy and healthy and encouraging others to find strength in her story.

Ireland Baldwin took to Instagram on January 6 to post a photo of herself holding up a blood pressure machine and share with fans how she constantly uses it to reassure herself she's healthy. Why? Because she's convinced she has "an underlying heart condition that I don't have." 

Revealing that she suffers from anxiety-induced cardiophobia, Baldwin explained that she experiences "heart palpitations and chest pain" triggered "by your typical anxiety attack" and so, she uses the monitor to "accurately read my heart rate and blood pressure" and reassure herself that everything is fine. Admitting that she lives "in a constant fear that I'm dying from a heart attack," the 26-year-old told followers that her "anxiety has gotten SO BAD in the past that I have called ambulances and have had hospital visits where paramedics and doctors assure me my heart is ok." Opening up further about her condition, Baldwin wrote that she doesn't "believe" in medication and is instead relying on "breath work," but noted that "nothing brings me more comfort than an EKG." She concluded by encouraging others suffering from anxiety to not feel embarrassed or ashamed and added, "I am here and you are not alone."

While not a lot is known about cardiophobia, Cambridge University Press published research in 2014, which explored whether the condition is a "phobic disorder in its own right rather than merely a problem of non-organic chest pain with some overlay of anxiety and depression." It concluded by calling for further research.