Ariana Madix from Pump Rules Shares How 'DWTS' Helped Her Overcome Anxiety: 'I've Gained Self-Trust'

Ariana Madix, after years of struggling with severe anxiety, recently revealed to Life & Style that participating in Dancing With the Stars has taught her new ways to manage her challenges.

“Just before every performance, I am extremely nervous” Ariana, 38, shared with Life & Style at the DWTS taping in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 14. “I usually shake my hands and try deep breathing. Despite feeling this way, it all comes together eventually. This has taught me that I can still feel nervous but that doesn't necessarily mean things will end in a disaster. I can trust myself.”

She is now applying these newfound skills in her day-to-day life. “As a person who naturally tends to feel anxious, this experience has proven that I can breathe through my anxiety and keep moving,” she added. “I have learned to trust in my ability to manage it.”

On the show, Ariana is paired with Pasha Pashkov. She values his help in boosting her confidence on the dance floor. She recalls, “Even after the dress rehearsal, I was nervous but Pasha reassured me, saying, ‘You did great. There’s no need to do anything more. Just repeat what you did today.”

Ariana has been honest about her challenges with anxiety on Vanderpump Rules, including sharing her past suicidal thoughts. Her anxiety intensified when her then-boyfriend, Tom Sandoval, cheated on her with her friend Raquel Leviss. This event unfolded publicly and on the Bravo reality show’s 10th season.

“It was the lowest point in my life,” she stated in an interview with People in May. “I had faced issues before on the show but never like this. However, when you find yourself at the bottom, there's only one direction left to go – up. This realization helped me overcome it.”

Currently, Ariana and Pasha, 37, are among the remaining six teams competing for the mirrorball trophy on Dancing With the Stars' 32nd season. The scandal related to Tom’s cheating was briefly mentioned during the season premiere in September, yet Ariana has mostly been concentrated on her dancing throughout the season.

Ariana said, “In the last year, my life has been a carousel of events. Everyone watched my life unravel on television. However, the scandal is not what defines me. I am now ready to stand on my own. It is heart-breaking to feel that you have been a joke to your partner of nine years, but I want to inspire other women to not let such disappointments hold them back.”