Taraji P. Henson is getting candid about dealing with mental heath.
The actress, 48, is featured in one of the Variety Power of Women: New York covers and chats about her recent battle with anxiety and why her private life is more important now than ever.
“I suffer from depression,” Henson told the mag. “My anxiety is kicking up even more every day, and I’ve never really dealt with anxiety like that. It’s something new.”
But thankfully, she’s found a way to manage. “That’s the only way I can get through it. You can talk to your friends, but you need a professional who can give you exercises,” the “Empire” star explained. “So that when you’re on the ledge, you have things to say to yourself that will get you off that ledge and past your weakest moments.”
And part of that anxiety, she admits, has come with her increased celebrity thanks to her celebrated role as Cookie Lyon on the Fox series.
“[Fame] was fun at first, but the older I get, the more private I want to be,” she added.
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“I think there’s a misconception with people in the limelight that we have it all together, and because we have money now and are living out our dreams, everything is fine,” she continued. “That’s not the case. When they yell ‘Cut’ and ‘That’s a wrap,’ I go home to very serious problems. I’m still a real human.”
Variety‘s special Power of Women issue also features Kacey Musgraves, Gigi Hadid, Bette Midler and Christiane Amanpour.
Read more from Henson here.