Moving forward. Jana Kramer revealed that she was able to stop taking anxiety medication for the first time in nearly 20 years.
The “Why You Wanna” songstress, 39, opened up about her mental health during the Monday, December 12, episode of her “Whine Down” podcast, during which she revealed that she’s been on some form of anxiety meds for 18 years.
The One Tree Hill alum explained that she decided to “wean down” several years ago after having her first child — daughter Jolie, 6 — but noted that she still had panic attacks and anxiety attacks. That changed, however, after her split from ex-husband Mike Caussin, with whom she shares Jolie and son Jace, 4.
“Post getting divorced, I have not had a panic attack,” the Michigan native explained. “It’s like when you release the negative or the triggers from the past or something that may remind you of it. That was still in my body.”
Jana Kramer Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
During a recent appointment, Kramer’s doctor asked her about how she was doing with her Lexapro, which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat anxiety and depression. “To be honest with you, doc, I haven’t had an anxiety attack since I got divorced,” the Good Fight coauthor recalled saying.
Her doctor then asked if she was ready to try to “wean off” the medication for good. “In my mind, I was like, ‘Can I? Like, how? Am I gonna be OK?’” the country singer said before the doctor assured her that she could start the treatment again if she needed to.
“‘In a month or so, you might have to go back on, and that’s OK,’” Kramer recalled the doctor staying. “‘Don’t beat yourself up.’”
So far, however, the Dancing With the Stars alum hasn’t had to start taking the pills again. “I am officially a month and a week off anxiety meds,” she explained. “I have not had an anxiety attack yet.”
Kramer and Caussin, 35, called it quits in April 2021 after nearly six years of marriage and finalized their divorce three months later. The former couple share custody of their two children, who will be spending Christmas Eve with their dad this year.
“I was dreading this holiday,” Kramer admitted in an Instagram Story earlier this month. “‘Cause I knew the first holiday I had them Christmas Eve night and I always knew that this one was going to be the first [I was alone] and it was going to be extremely hard.”
The Love at First Bark star explained that she will pick up the children on Christmas Day, then have her own Christmas Eve celebration with the little ones. “We’ll put out the cookies for Santa, we’re gonna leave the letter and the stuff for the reindeers and Santa because it’s magic — and he’s gonna come Christmas night,” she told her social media followers.
On her podcast, Kramer revealed that she’s taking a solo trip to London — to meet a mystery man — ahead of the holiday to take her mind off things. “I’ll keep you guys all posted if I have a panic attack mid-air,” she quipped on Monday. “I’m so excited that I’m gonna take this adventure.”
If you or someone you know is facing mental health issues, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at 800-662-HELP (4357).