When you see Emma Stone grace the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving standing ovations at award shows, and hanging out with BFFs Adele and Jennifer Lawrence, you'd be forgiven for thinking the actress' life was close to perfect.
But, as with the majority of mental health issues, it's what we don't see that speaks volumes about someone's personal struggles and achievements.
During a new interview with leading child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz for the Child Mind Institute, the Oscar-winning actress has opened up about her first panic attack, aged just seven-years-old.
'After first grade before I went into second grade, I had my first panic attack,' she said.
'It was really, really terrifying and overwhelming. I was at a friend's house, and all of a sudden I was convinced the house was on fire and it was burning down. I was just sitting in her bedroom and obviously the house wasn't on fire, but there was nothing in me that didn't think we were going to die.'
Unfortunately for Stone, she suffered several more panic attacks over the next two years and often feigned illness so she could skive off school.
'I couldn't go to friends' houses,' she told Dr. Koplewicz of her separation anxiety from her mother. 'As you can see, it's gotten better. I swear!'
After her first panic attack, the La La Land star revealed she attended therapy, where she was diagnosed with generalised anxiety and panic disorder. However, her therapist never informed her of such a diagnosis - something the actress was grateful to learn about later in life.
'I am very grateful I didn't know that I had a disorder,' she said. 'I wanted to be an actor and there weren't a lot of actors who spoke about having panic attacks.'
When she was in therapy, the actress wrote a staple-bound book - which her mum still has - called I Am More Than My Anxiety, where she drew pictures and recalled it being 'helpful'.
While she still suffers from occasional panic attacks, the 29-year-old told Dr. Koplewicz she manages her anxiety by seeing a therapist, meditating and reaching out to her friends and loved ones when she feels the most isolated.
In August, the star opened up to her friend Jennifer Lawrence about her struggles with anxiety.
In an interview with W magazine, she said: 'I think your wiring is just kind of what you are. My mum always says that I was born with my nerves outside of my body. But I’m lucky for the anxiety, because it also makes me high-energy.'
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
