Inside Claire Foy's Experience With Anxiety

Mental illness doesn't choose who it will affect, and that can mean that even Hollywood stars suffer from conditions like depression and anxiety. Claire Foy, star of Netflix's "The Crown", opened up about her experience with anxiety, proving that even the rich and famous aren't immune to mental health issues.

Anxiety disorders are incredibly common in Americans — they affect nearly 30% of adults at some point, according to the American Psychiatric Association. They tend to affect more women than men. While some anxiety can be a normal response to stress and keep us safe from danger, anxiety disorders typically involve extreme fear. This level of anxiety can be so extreme that you might start to withdraw from daily life and avoid certain triggers altogether, like going to work, talking to strangers, or leaving your house. There are different kinds of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and separation anxiety disorder.

Claire Foy is no stranger to anxiety. In 2018, she shared in an interview in The Guardian that she had experienced anxiety since she was a child, citing her parents' separation when she was eight years old as the beginning of her impulse to always please everyone and be well-behaved. Despite this survival mechanism originating in childhood, she still experiences anxiety as an adult, especially regarding her acting career.

Between her hectic work schedule, a pregnancy, and becoming the star of a critically acclaimed Netflix series, the 38-year-old actress eventually faced her anxiety and began seeing a therapist. She said her anxiety has now plateaued, even though she used to get anxious about illogical things like crossing the street. It hasn't gone away completely, and she said she expects it will always be there. She offered hope to those who struggle with their anxiety by sharing, "It's still there, but I guess I don't believe it so much any more... I know that it's just something I have — and that I can take care of myself."