The new Taylor Swift documentary, “Miss Americana,” has everyone talking as she opens up about hate, shame, anxiety, and an eating disorder that had her down to a size two. Yes, even celebrities deal with these issues just like the rest of us.
Anxiety isn’t a secret anymore as more folks are discussing mental health daily. Celebrities are no exception. A survey by the Mental Health Foundation shows about three million people deal with anxiety, according to the latest Psychiatric Morbidity Survey.
Here are seven of the most influential celebrities who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks:
Taylor Swift, at 30, has faced a lot of public criticism since she was young, from comments about being ‘too annoying,’ ‘too skinny,’ or ‘looking pregnant.’ How has this affected her? In her new documentary, directed by Lana Wilson and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, she confesses, “No one physically saw me for a year, and that is what I thought they wanted.”
We can all relate to hiding away from the spotlight. For someone as confident-seeming as Taylor, with over twenty-one awards to her name, this might come as a surprise.
But anxiety isn’t something visible. In the documentary, Swift talks about constantly trying to earn respect and fighting the belief that she had to be the “good girl” pushed by her executives. This fear of never being enough led to unhealthy behaviors like starving herself, making her feel weak during live performances.
She felt pressure to maintain appearances, which took a toll on her, as we see in “Miss Americana.” When introducing her song ‘Out of the Woods,’ she admits it felt very fragile. She also shared her anxieties about her then-relationship, constantly fearing it wouldn’t last.
The documentary will be available in selected theatres and on Netflix from January 31st.
Sienna Miller, known for her roles in “Stardust” and “Layer Cake,” revealed she hasn’t used social media in over two years because it causes her a lot of anxiety.
It’s easy to dismiss celebrities talking about anxiety as just a trend. But anxiety and depression are widespread. According to Anxiety UK, around 10% of the UK population will experience an anxiety disorder at some point. A study in Great Britain found that one in six adults faced a mental health issue in the previous week.
There are various factors leading to anxiety disorders, making it clear that it’s a common issue affecting people regardless of their status.
Kendall Jenner, a 23-year-old model, has spoken openly about her anxiety, using interviews, social media, and her family’s show, “Keeping up with the Kardashians.” From an early age, she was in the spotlight and scouted as a model in her teens, making her a target of public abuse.
In 2017, she got her second restraining order against a 62-year-old man fixated on her since he saw her as a child. In 2016, she admitted her struggles with anxiety, panic attacks, and sleep paralysis, contributing to her fear of falling asleep.
Sleep paralysis occurs when one is waking up or falling asleep, conscious but unable to move or speak, usually accompanied by hallucinations, making the experience more terrifying. Only 8% of people experience this condition.
Sometimes opening up about anxiety helps cope with it.
Adele, who broke into the mainstream in 2008, confessed to anxiety over live performances. She avoided festivals for fear of an anxiety attack stopping her from getting on stage. To combat this, she created an alter ego, Sasha Carter, inspired by a mix of Beyoncé’s Sasha Fierce and June Carter, which helped her manage her public performance fears.
Kristen Bell, known for her role in “Frozen,” works actively to break the illusion of celebrity perfection. She shared her experiences with anxiety and depression in an open letter. Bell is vocal about fighting the stigma around mental health and regularly shares coping mechanisms, including using CBD lotion.
Ryan Reynolds, known for his role as Deadpool, surprised many by admitting he has anxiety. He uses his rapid wit to manage it, staying in character even off-screen to deal with his anxious nature. Reynolds believes his anxiety stems from his childhood relationship with his father, making him over-compensate to keep peace at home.
Gina Rodriguez, star of “Jane the Virgin,” has opened up about balancing panic attacks and thoughts of suicide. She experienced anxiety attacks on set and had to use social media to discuss her struggles. She advocates for mental health awareness, especially within the Latino community, and shares her journey with body positivity and a thyroid condition that causes weight gain and fatigue.
Opening up about these challenges helps break the stigma and encourages others to seek help.
