Chloe Kelly Opens Up About Crippling Anxiety During Transfer Period: "I Thought I Was Having a Heart Attack"

England and Arsenal star Chloe Kelly has shared the severe physical and mental toll her high-profile transfer took on her, revealing she suffered panic attacks, hair loss, and debilitating anxiety before her move.

The forward, who joined Arsenal on loan from Manchester City last January before making the switch permanent, described entering a "vicious cycle" of distress. Speaking on the Happy Place podcast, Kelly recalled moments where her anxiety became overwhelming.

"I'd find myself sitting alone in the dark, thinking, 'This isn't right,'" the 27-year-old explained. "It reached a point where I couldn’t leave the bathroom floor because I was constantly unwell. I tried everything—walking my dogs, coloring—but it wasn't linked to food. It was a cycle: the anxiety made me sick, and the fear of being sick made me more anxious."

Kelly credited her husband, Scott Moore, with helping her through the worst episodes. "There was one time Scott had to lift me off the floor and move me just to break that cycle," she said.

Her symptoms escalated to the point where she feared she was having a heart attack. Around the same time, she began noticing bald patches on her scalp.

"I started losing hair and found bald patches. I went to a specialist and was diagnosed with alopecia," Kelly said. "That was really tough—it's one thing to feel anxious mentally, but another to see it physically affecting your body. Before my first game for Arsenal, I was consciously covering those patches."

Despite the ordeal, Kelly's career has since soared. She played a key role in Arsenal's Champions League success and helped England clinch the European Championship last summer—all while shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Looking back, she sees her recovery as a turning point. "My hair has grown back, and so much has changed since I took that step forward. Sometimes you have to go through the hardest moments to come out stronger."