11 Powerful Celebrity Quotes About Dealing With Anxiety

Mental health can be a tricky beast, especially in the glow of the Hollywood spotlight. Standards in the entertainment industry enforce a need to embody perfection, a desire to hide all the chinks in one's armor. But celebrities are humans, and they struggle too. Recently, a handful of stars have broken this long-standing Tinseltown barrier and opened up about the issues they face behind closed doors. Kristen Bell opened up about anxiety and depression, and Colton Haynes revealed the panic behind his sexuality. Even Zac Efron touched on the serious downsides of being famous. When you really boil it down, the willingness of celebrities to get real has the power to breed more comfort, inspiration, and love in the rest of us.

01
Jennifer Lawrence
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Jennifer Lawrence

  • "When my mother told me about my childhood, she always told me that there was like a light in me, a spark that inspired me constantly. When I started school, the light went out. It was never known what it was, a kind of social anxiety. . . . I finally found a way [to] open the door to a universe that I understood, that was good for me and made me happy, because I felt capable, whereas before I felt worthless."
  • "I just try to acknowledge that this scrutiny is stressful, and that anyone would find it stressful. So I’ve got to try to let it go, and try to be myself, and focus on important things, like picking up dog poop."
02
Lena Dunham
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Lena Dunham

  • "It's like, 'Oh, you again?' I really love my life, but I've kind of worn anxiety grooves into my brain. It just doesn't always sound good in there."
  • "[Exercise] has helped with my anxiety in ways I never dreamed possible. To those struggling with anxiety, OCD, depression: I know it's mad annoying when people tell you to exercise, and it took me about 16 medicated years to listen. I'm glad I did."
03
Colton Haynes
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Colton Haynes

"For those of you who are suffering with intense anxiety . . . ur not alone. It's been a constant struggle for me since 5th grade. It's a battle. Anxiety had put me in the hospital a countless amount of times. Whether it be fainting, hyperventilating, or seizures . . . I've been through it. Just know ur not alone & it affects more ppl than you would ever know. We can overcome this. We can fight thru it & will. I've quite jobs because of anxiety, flaked on social events, family gatherings, birthdays, important movie/work tests. Its a serious problem. Be there for those who struggle with anxiety & realize its a serious disorder. Its not a case of "being dramatic" . . . its a life long struggle. Love those suffering. Anxiety has caused me to be extremely agoraphobic & livin in constant fear of leavin my house at times. Ur not alone."

04
Adele
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Adele

"I'm scared of audiences. I get sh*tty scared. One show in Amsterdam, I was so nervous I escaped out the fire exit. I've thrown up a couple of times. Once in Brussels, I projectile-vomited on someone. I just gotta bear it. But I don't like touring. I have anxiety attacks a lot."

05
Kristen Bell
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Kristen Bell

  • "I'm extremely codependent. I shatter a little bit when I think people don't like me. That's part of why I lead with kindness and I compensate by being very bubbly all the time because it really hurts my feelings when I know I'm not liked. And I know that's not very healthy and I fight it all the time."
  • "I felt plagued with a negative attitude and a sense that I was permanently in the shade. I'm normally such a bubbly, positive person, and all of a sudden I stopped feeling like myself. . . . For me, depression is not sadness. It's not having a bad day and needing a hug. It gave me a complete and utter sense of isolation and loneliness. Its debilitation was all-consuming, and it shut down my mental circuit board. I felt worthless, like I had nothing to offer, like I was a failure."
06
Sarah Silverman
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Sarah Silverman

"I went from being the class clown to not being able to see life in that casual way anymore. I couldn't deal with being with my friends, I didn't go to school for months, and I started having panic attacks. People use 'panic attack' very casually out here in Los Angeles, but I don't think most of them really know what it is. Every breath is labored. You are dying. You are going to die. It's terrifying. And then when the attack is over, the depression is still there."

07
Zac Efron
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Zac Efron

"There was a moment when my morning routine was, like, Get up and Google yourself. But that stopped, dramatically and instantly, probably three years ago. I realized that viewing yourself through other people's pictures is not living your own life. I wasn't really being myself. A lot of my hobbies had gone out the window. I couldn't skateboard or surf for fear of being followed. Crossing the line of fear is what leads to greatness."

08
Kristen Stewart
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Kristen Stewart

"Between ages 15 and 20, it was really intense. I was constantly anxious. I was kind of a control freak. If I didn't know how something was going to turn out, I would make myself ill, or just be locked up or inhibited in a way that was really debilitating."