“I have anxiety about anxiety, then I worry the anxiety will ruin my life.”
by Danielle Sinay
October has been an amazing month for mental health awareness! Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated World Mental Health Day, and since then stars like Kylie Jenner and Amanda Seyfried have bravely discussed their own struggles with mental illness.
And now, Rachel Bloom of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has tackled the stigma head-on, bravely opening up about her mental illness in the latest issue of Glamour.
Rachel says she began to suffer from anxiety around the time she started working on Crazy Ex Girlfriend. It eventually escalated to the point of depression; she began to isolate herself from friends and loved ones and could no longer sleep. “I went from feeling anxious to sinking into the worst depression of my life. I needed help.”
“I sought out a psychiatrist,” she explained. “Each session improved my life. He diagnosed me with low-grade depression and put me on a small amount of Prozac.”
Quite like Amanda Seyfried, Rachel chose to prioritize her mental health instead of ignoring it – and as a result, was prescribed medication. But medication is for some reason stigmatized in society, and as many people with mental illness know, can cause feelings of shame. But taking medication does not make you weak, in fact it makes you stronger, because doing what you need to to be your best self is a brave, difficult, mature and intelligent choice – even though it can be scary.
“The thing that has most aided me through my anxiety and depression is realizing I’m not alone,” she continues. “I’m naturally bubbly, even when I’m sad. But here’s what people can’t see: During a spiral the world feels dark. I have anxiety about anxiety, then I worry the anxiety will ruin my life. It’s a snake-eats-tail loop.”
But Rachel’s symptoms began to improve once she started talking about it.
“In opening up to others, I found a lot of people have felt the same way,” Rachel concluded.
Mental illness is lonely. It makes lots of people feel like they’re fighting it all on their own (myself included!). But just because you can’t see a mental illness like you can a cut or bruise, doesn’t mean it’s not real. Mental health is just as important as your phsyical health.
We’re so glad that so many celebrities are openly discussing mental illness, and that Rachel Bloom has now began advocating for mental health awareness, as well.
Thank you for your honesty, Rachel!
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1?800?273?TALK (8255) or Live Online Chat.
