‘Going to need to stop’
Australian meteorologist Nate Byrne had a panic attack during a live weather report on Tuesday and candidly addressed it in real time.
After delivering a forecast of rain for ABC’s News Breakfast, Byrne pressed his hands together and said, “I’m actually going to need to stop for a second.”
“Some of you may know that I occasionally get affected by some panic attacks,” Byrne continued, “and actually that’s happening right now.”
He handed the broadcast back to co-host Lisa Millar, who commended Byrne’s openness and referenced an article he had written in 2022 about his first panic attack on live television.
In that article, Byrne shared the “absolutely terrifying” moment that changed his perspective on mental health, after never having had issues with anxiety in the past.
“I thought that my career was over — something was taking control of me without my permission or understanding,” Byrne wrote, “and it was preventing me from doing what made me, me.”
He described seeking help from a psychologist, who confirmed his experience as a classic panic attack and helped him develop tools for managing his on-air anxiety.
The Cleveland Clinic defines panic attacks as “sudden, temporary feelings of fear and strong physical reactions in response to ordinary, nonthreatening situations,” and says up to 11% of people in the United States experience a panic attack every year.
Byrne noted in his article that the experience shifted his perspective on mental health.
“I had no idea about the complete lack of control you can sometimes have over your brain, nor the ways in which it can take over,” he said.
After rejoining the broadcast on Tuesday, Byrne told the audience, “Sorry if I gave anybody a bit of a scare there.”
But Millar reassured him, saying, “It’s so great for people to know that it can happen to anyone.”
Byrne has received support on social media, with many applauding his transparency and some relating to his experiences.
“Talking about my anxiety and seeking treatment mean that it’s something I can live with and manage,” he wrote in his article. “And it means I can keep doing the thing I love.”
