Khloé Kardashian Opens Up About Battling Anxiety in the Public Eye: It's 'Deteriorating'

"Saying a mantra like 'F— the haters, tune them out,' yes, I think that's obviously everyone's goal but it's so much easier said than done," Khloé Kardashian said of her anxiety from social media

Khloé Kardashian and James Corden. Photo: getty (2)

Khloé Kardashian is getting real about her mental health struggles.

During Thursday's episode of The Kardashians, Khloé opened up about her ongoing battle with anxiety as she prepared for an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

While sitting with her best friend Malika Haqq, Khloé, 37, revealed she was experiencing severe anxiety and even recently felt like she was "having a heart attack" during a run-in with paparazzi.

"I have to do James Corden," she told Malika, 39. "I just have such anxiety about going. It's never the interview, it's more the aftermath. I have to listen to everybody say this, or judge you, or overanalyze something you say, or pick this apart ... this s— used to be fun."

In a confessional, Khloé elaborated more about how social media has taken a toll on her mental health.

"Social media used to be fun and silly," she said. "There are definitely always trolls and now everything is so critical. The way I look, my situation with Tristan [Thompson]. Is my hair done the right way? What is she doing with that laugh? ... I think I've gotten to the point where it's literally safer to stay at home."

"Saying a mantra like 'F— the haters, tune them out,' yes, I think that's obviously everyone's goal but it's so much easier said than done," she added.

Khloé Kardashian on The Late Late Show with James Corden. The Late Late Show with James Corden

Though Malika joined Khloé for the late-night show taping to help ease her anxiety, things didn't seem to get better on the way.

"I feel obviously much better talking it through. It's so easy for people to say, 'You don't know them, don't pay attention,'" Khloé explained. "Trust me, I try not to but when I walk down the street and then even paparazzi is heckling at you the same things you're trying to avoid, it's so deteriorating on your self-esteem, your confidence, the way you view yourself."

"Even anxiety to post photos on Instagram," she continued. "Even when I'm like, 'I barely did retouching' but I'm so afraid to post it because people are gonna say I did this."

Once she arrived at the studio, Khloé attempted to calm her nerves — and even had her mom Kris Jenner come for support.

"I think anytime that you're in the public eye, it just opens you up for scrutiny and criticism about every little thing," Kris, 66, said in a confessional. "And I think with Khloé, she does internalize that and I think you really have to have tough, thick skin, which all of us have, but every once in a while, our emotions just get the best of us."

It wasn't until Corden came into her dressing room before the show that Khloé finally began to feel better about everything — and it was all thanks to his supportive advice.

"We all have to remember, none of these things are about you," Corden, 43, said. "Anybody who's like that, it's only a representation and a reflection of them. That's it, it's nothing to do with you. How could anyone judge anyone when they don't even know them? So you become something else in their mind... it doesn't matter. These words only exist if I give them any power. They only exist to me if I allow them to penetrate my core. Look, you're drinking champagne at 4 p.m. on a Monday and you're at work. We've won!"

Reflecting on his advice afterward, Khloé said in a confessional, "This speech just makes me feel — it sounds so corny — but warm and fuzzy. I feel understood because I know he's talking to me but I know he's had this talk with himself."

"We need that on a loop!" added Kris.

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Khloé has previously opened up about experiencing anxiety, including when it comes to co-parenting her daughter, True, with Thompson.

In an April 2020 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Khloé explained how hard it was to maintain True's schedule while still finding time for her to visit her dad in Cleveland.

"Tristan has been really consistent and present and that's great. I just haven't even thought of this part yet. I'm not going, which is fine, but ... does that mean I have to send True there by herself?" she said. "Co-parenting is hard, I mean you have to also respect both parents. I'm sure he won't do anything I don't feel comfortable doing, but is that not fair to True to not see her dad? That's going to be a long however many months."

"It just gives me anxiety to think I would have to send her anywhere," she added. "She's just a baby."