Emma Stone - Award-Winning Actor, Anxiety
The stigma that surrounds mental illness can make many sufferers reluctant to come forward and seek help, even though it is more available now than it has been in the past. We have come a long way on the road of evolution, in terms of admitting mental illness exists but we still have a long way to go towards understanding and accepting those that suffer its debilitating effects. One way in which awareness is coming about is the number of celebrities who are now coming forward and openly and honestly discussing their battles with depression, anxiety and panic disorders. Among the celebrities to do so most recently is Emma Stone, who has confirmed in several interviews how, she battled with panic disorder from a very young age.
More about Mental Illness
On The Mental Health Foundation of Australia (Victoria) website mental illness has been described as,’ a health condition that changes a persons thinking, feelings or behaviors (or all three) and that causes the person distress and difficulty functioning’ Family and close friends are also affected, and feel similar frustrations as the sufferer themselves, added to their sense of helplessness as they watch their loved one deal with the daily struggle. Emma Stone reported that her parents were so concerned about her behavior that they “took me to a therapist’. She goes on to explain that the therapist helped her find solutions to control and manager her panic, and it was through attending these sessions she discovered to desire to get into acting.
Mental illness conditions are different from medical conditions affecting brain function. Mental illness affects a person’s ability to think logically, feelings can be heightened and behaviors can be altered, conditions such as depression, anxiety and panic disorder, as well as schizophrenia, and some types of addictions and dependencies. Conditions affecting the brain have a neurological basis such as Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis.
Societal views on mental illness and the stigma attached has made it difficult for sufferers of mental illness to be open about their condition and seek help, causing many to go un-diagnosed and unassisted in their struggle. Fears of being rejected, seen as weak, keep many silent. Changing society’s views towards mental illness is one major way we can de-mystify the stigma. The development of organizations like Life Line and Beyond Blue, have advanced access to help. Clients access these organizations by phone/online anonymously, giving them ability to deal with their condition in private if they wish. The trend of well-known celebrities coming forward and discussing their own battles with mental illness openly and honestly is also making it a little easier for the common person to admit to having a mental health condition and seeking help for that condition.
Emma Stone and Anxiety
Emma Stone one such actress to do so, according to interviews she has given on websites such as perezhilton.com and news.com.au, first began suffering panic attacks at age 8.
“I was this really anxious kid in grad school. I had my first panic attack when I was eight years old. I don’t know why, but as a kid I worried about things like our house burning down, and I’d wring my hands all the time. So my parents took me to a therapist. While I was figuring things out, something happened where I just thought, okay, all right I want to act”.
Stone goes on to explain that acting has given her a way to express and know herself, and skills to focus and control her panic when it occurs.
There are a core group of symptoms associated with mental illness, but this does not mean that every person suffering a mental illness will experience them all; symptoms can also be experienced in different degrees, ranging from mild to debilitating. During one of the above mentioned interviews Emma Stone described the experience of having a panic attack, “I was just kind of immobilized by it”, She explained, “I didn’t want to go to my friends houses or hang out with anybody, and no body really understood”.
Mental Illness - Battling Stigma & Accepting Help
It is only now as we bring the issue of mental illness out of the darkness, that our understanding and acceptance of this condition is undergoing a fundamental change. We have come a long way in the past twenty years, and we still have a long way to go, but through the bravery and courage of people like Emma Stone and the ordinary every day individuals who are working towards diminishing the stigma of this awful condition will we win. If you know someone or you yourself suffer from some form of mental illness be open to receiving help, whether it be from a professional or friends and family. We at AB Consultation & Counselling Services are always here to help you on your road to recovery
Anxiety, is 1 of the 6 key topics we are presenting at the Mid-Year Public Health Information Session.
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