Liam Payne's close friends express deep concern as he battles life beyond One Direction

Liam Payne's close friends have expressed concern over his struggles to adapt to life after leaving One Direction. The 30-year-old singer reportedly had a medical emergency during a trip to Lake Como in Italy with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, according to The Sun.

A source close to Liam shared with the publication, "It doesn't come as a huge surprise — his lifestyle has been on a bit of a downward spiral for a while. Liam struggled so much in the band due to the heavy workload and being in the spotlight. He was just a normal lad before One Direction, so living life in this bubble felt alien to him and the restrictions really took their toll. His partying since the band's break could well be a reaction to this."

Liam's mother, Karen Payne, expressed her distress over her son's hospitalization and the distance between them. She said, "We are all worried sick about it but we just have to get on. It's horrible – him being all the way over there. He's in Milan and it sounds like he'll be there for a week. I feel helpless"

"It's such a horrible situation and we just hope he's in the best place possible," she added.

The singer fell ill during a romantic anniversary vacation with his girlfriend, leading to his hospitalization. Last month, Liam had canceled a tour in South America due to a "serious kidney infection," which had previously required hospitalization. Currently, he is receiving medical care and is expected to remain in the hospital for several days.