Taraji P. Henson Opens Up About Her Depression and Anxiety Struggles

One of Hollywood’s finest, Taraji P. Henson, recently opened up about her struggles with depression and anxiety.

The 48-year-old Empire star, in an interview with Variety, said, “I suffer from depression.”

“My anxiety is kicking up even more every day, and I’ve never really dealt with anxiety like that. It’s something new.”

While Henson’s acting career is steadily booming, she says fame has had a negative impact on her mental health.

“It was fun at first, but the older I get, the more private I want to be… 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. 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.” Henson explained to the outlet.

The Golden Globe-winning actress has since taken a bold step in getting help: “I talk to someone. I have a therapist that I speak to. That’s the only way I can get through it,” Henson told Variety.

Henson also revealed she sees her therapist regularly. “It has to be regularly, and that’s what I learned. It gets frustrating because you’re waiting for them to fix you, but it’s not that easy.”

In 2018, the actress created the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in honor of her father, a Vietnam War vet, who also suffered from mental illness. He died in 2005.

When she’s not raising awareness on anxiety and depression or being a doting mother to her son, Henson enjoys time with her fiancé former Super Bowl-winning NFL star Kelvin Hayden.