Zuzana Smatanová Overcame Severe Depression and Panic Attacks

Slovak singer Zuzana Smatanová has spoken about her experience with severe burnout, panic attacks, and clinical depression, revealing that she ignored early warning signs while maintaining her lifestyle, according to reports.

The Toll of Intensive Studio Work on the Double Album Echo

The artist traced the onset of her health crisis to 2018, a period marked by intensive studio work on her double album Echo, alongside constant concert dates, festival appearances, and tour preparations. In disclosures shared during an appearance on the Czech Television documentary series 13. komnata and an interview with Sóda, Smatanová described pushing herself as a perfectionist who felt compelled to handle every demand without assistance. Rather than stopping when fatigue, stress, and irritability emerged, she treated them as conditions to endure.

Physical Breakdown and Escalating Panic Attacks

Her body eventually forced a halt through symptoms including poor sleep, digestive distress, heartburn, hair loss, skin problems, and a disrupted menstrual cycle. Following the conclusion of her demanding work schedule, the sudden drop in pressure triggered her first major panic attack, leading her to call emergency services under the belief that she was suffering a heart attack.

The attacks escalated until she experienced up to ten episodes daily, eventually developing into deep depression marked by a loss of interest in her usual activities and thoughts of suicide.

In the states I was in, people decide to end their lives. It is one of the symptoms of depression. But paradoxically, this experience brought me back to life.

Zuzana Smatanová

Rebuilding Daily Routine Through Professional Care

Recovery required professional psychiatric care, medication, and regular therapy sessions up to three times a week. Smatanová rebuilt her daily routine, established personal boundaries, and initially avoided musical instruments entirely before slowly returning to creation through drawing and structured habits. She now limits her professional workload, deliberately selecting a fraction of the offers she receives to protect her health and maintain space for her creative work.

Available Crisis Resources and Support Lines

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, anxiety, or thoughts of self-harm, help is available. In Slovakia, you can contact the emotional support helpline (IPčko) at 0800 500 333 or reach out to the crisis line at 116 123.