Kirsty Young says she spent a year and a half “beautifully ignoring” the symptoms of fibromyalgia because she had a privileged life and tackling it when she had such a successful career felt like “a penthouse problem.”
The 55-year-old appeared on the latest episode of Julia Samuel’s podcast Therapy worksand revealed how her Scottish roots gave her the mentality that she should “put her head down, shut up and carry on” despite often debilitating pain.
Young was forced to leave her role as host of Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs in 2019 after 12 years due to her struggles with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.
In the episode with psychotherapist Samuel, who was a close confidant of Princess Diana, the network said asking for help felt “indulgent” because she had her dream job and was well paid.
Appearing on the latest episode of Therapy Works, psychotherapist Julia Samuel’s podcast, Kirsty Young said she “beautifully ignored” her health problems for a year and a half because she felt like it was “indulgent” when she had a life of privilege
The 55-year-old says the previously “horrible” symptoms of her condition are now largely under control, but that the illness “has fundamentally changed my relationship with myself”.
In the podcast, filmed in a riverside flat in west London, she told Samuel: “I think it’s very difficult when you have a very privileged life like I did in a well-paid job that I loved.
“I don’t work three jobs, I’m not a cleaner, I don’t work at Aldi and I don’t get income support. It’s almost self-indulgent… (ask for l ‘help) “.
She said she was genetically predisposed to having rheumatoid arthritis, which causes pain and stiffness in the joints. Fibromyalgia is a long-term, chronic condition that causes pain throughout the body and fatigue.
Thanks to the treatment, the channel said the symptoms of both conditions were now much better controlled – but admitted she had been changed by her health problems.
She said: “Pain is an agent of change and this literal pain has fundamentally changed my relationship with myself.”
Young appearing with Julia Samuel, a close friend of the late Princess Diana, on the latest edition of a mental health professional’s podcast
Young was a presenter on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs when the illness struck and says stress exacerbated her symptoms.
Young is married to entrepreneur Nick Jones, founder of the Soho House brand, and they have two daughters, Freya and Iona. Nick also has two children, Natasha and Oliver, from a previous relationship.
Young has spoken in the past about her health issues and how they made her feel like she was “going mental” when her “horrible” symptoms were at their worst.
Speaking on The Adam Buxton podcast last year she said: “It was at its worst in a few years. You feel like you’re going crazy. Quitting my job didn’t make me want to, but the pain of it starts to eat away at your personality.
“You start to lose your sense of humor, you can’t really deal with things that would normally overwhelm you.”
Kirsty first temporarily left Desert Island Discs in August 2018 before announcing her permanent departure the following year, with Lauren Laverne taking over as host.
Exit: The BBC radio DJ was forced to quit her job as host of Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs (pictured on the show with David Beckham) in 2019 due to her health problems.
Difficult times: Kirsty told how the pain caused by fibromyalgia began to “corrode” her personality and left her feeling “like a loser” because she was unable to do things.
She said of her departure at the time: “After 12 incredibly happy and rewarding years at Desert Island Discs, I have decided to step down permanently.
“Having been forced to take some time off from my favorite job for a few months due to health issues, I’m pleased to say that I’m now on track to feeling much better.
“But this enforced absence from the show changed my view of what I should do next and so I decided it was time to take on new challenges.”
Kirsty has presented the show since 2006 and interviewed hundreds of guests including Dame Kelly Holmes, Victoria Wood and Sir David Attenborough.
She presented a total of 496 episodes of the program and led its 70th and 75th birthday celebrations.
WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS? THE LONG-TERM AGONIZING ILLNESS THAT IS INCURABLE
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects around 400,000 people in the UK
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects around 400,000 people in the UK and almost 1.3 million adults in the US.
Women are up to three times more likely to develop this condition than men. People with a family history of rheumatoid arthritis are also more vulnerable.
It is a long-term condition in which the immune system causes the body to attack itself, causing painful, swollen and stiff joints.
RA, the second most common form of arthritis that often begins between the ages of 40 and 50, tends to affect the hands, wrists and knees.
Scientists are currently unsure of the exact cause of RA, but smoking, eating lots of red meat, and drinking coffee pose a higher risk.
No cure has yet been found, but treatments are available and have been proven to help slow the progression of the disease.
RA is a complex autoimmune disease that is diagnosed and treated by a consultant rheumatologist in secondary care and the patient is followed regularly by a consultant-led multidisciplinary team in hospital.