Zayn Malik Opens Up About Having Anxiety Problems After Leaving One Direction

Zayn Malik is becoming more vocal about his struggle with anxiety.

In his book, “Zayn,” the former One Direction member opened up about how going solo has made his anxiety worse, according to Entertainment Tonight. Despite that, however, the singer maintains that leaving the boy band is not something he regrets.

Malik said the stress of performing got worse for him when he started pursuing his solo career, but he learned that instead of hiding his struggle, he would be much better off sharing it with his fans.

The pressure of being part of one of the world’s most popular boy bands also made it difficult for Malik to manage his anxiety, which led to him leaving the group.

Malik’s anxiety has caused the singer to cancel a number of shows. His show in Dubai, which was slated for October, did not push through because of his anxiety to perform live. The singer said he has made progress when it comes to managing his condition, but he continues to struggle with being “sufficiently confident” to go on stage for his fans.

Malik first opened up about his struggle with anxiety in June when he opted to cancel his Capital FM Summertime Ball performance at the last minute. In a tweet, Malik explained his decision, saying: “Unfortunately my anxiety that has haunted me throughout the last few months around live performances has gotten the better of me. With the magnitude of the event I have suffered the worst anxiety of my career. I cannot apologise enough but I want to be honest with everyone who has patiently waited to see me. I promise I will do my best to make this up to everybody I’ve let down today.”

Malik’s book, which contains a collection of his stories and never-before-seen photographs, is now out in bookstores.