Don’t you look at celebrities and think they’ve got it all figured out? Well, everyone does.
Fame, fortune, designer outfits, and millions of fans hanging on their every word—it seems like the perfect life, right? But their life is far from perfect. Away from the glitz and glam, these celebrities battle lots of things. Anxiety is one of them.
Yes, even the world’s biggest stars—those with red-carpet smiles and seemingly unshakable confidence—struggle with the weight of expectations, self-doubt, and overwhelming emotions.
What’s inspiring, though, is how these stars have faced their fears head-on and found ways to cope. Here, we’ll dive into the stories of a few big names who have not only battled anxiety, but also found ways to manage it.
#1 Lady Gaga: Saying No and Mastering TIPP Skills
The American singer-songwriter and actress is known for her boldness. But beneath her fierce exterior, she’s been incredibly transparent about her struggles with anxiety and depression. The superstar has dealt with PTSD, stemming from trauma in her youth. PTSD often manifests as overwhelming anxiety.
One of her approaches to managing anxiety? Capitalizing on the power of saying ‘no.’ Lady Gaga says that she made no progress with overcoming her anxiety issues until she started saying no.
In a talk at Yale University in 2015, Gaga said that she learned to say no to anything she didn’t want to do. That included pictures, events, and things or ideas she didn’t believe in. This had been a game-changer for her. Slowly but surely, she started remembering who she was.
Gaga also swears by TIPP skills that are learned in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). TIPP stands for Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, and Paired muscle relaxation. These interventions can help stop anxiety and panic attacks and overcome overwhelming emotions.
#2 Adele: Cracking Jokes and Going to the Gym
You’d never guess it watching her belt out powerhouse ballads, but Adele has battled stage fright and anxiety for years.
More than a decade ago, Adele revealed that she had anxiety attacks before she took to the stage. Things sometimes got so bad that she even threw up before her performance.
And guess what? Her last show in Las Vegas last month marked her 100th performance. That’s right—100 shows! It’s hard to believe that someone who once dreaded stepping onto a stage has now completed a milestone like that.
So, how does she manage intense bouts of anxiety before performances? The British superstar turns to humor to ease tension. She often cracks jokes with her team to lighten the mood.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Adele revealed that thinking that nothing has ever gone horrifically wrong also helps her keep anxiety at bay.
The record-breaking English singer also experienced terrifying anxiety attacks post-divorce, which she revealed in a conversation with Oprah Winfrey. She admitted that hitting the gym helped her manage her anxiety.
#3 Jennifer Aniston: Taking CBD and Undergoing Therapy
The former Friends star is no stranger to the pressures of fame.
Despite her sunny on-screen persona, Jennifer Aniston has faced her share of anxiety, particularly as her career soared and her personal life became tabloid fodder. And she has been refreshingly candid about how she manages anxiety.
One tool in her wellness arsenal is CBD. It has become a natural way for her to unwind without turning to more drastic measures. Aniston stated that she has discovered impressive benefits from cannabidiol oil.
Don’t confuse CBD with THC, however. Both cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are found in marijuana. But they don’t have the same psychoactive effects.
Clarifying the difference, Sluggers Hit explains that CBD is non-psychoactive; people favor it for its health benefits without the high. That is, it is non-intoxicating and doesn’t cause significant impairment.
Aniston doesn’t rely on CBD alone, however. Therapy has been a cornerstone of her mental health journey. After her split with Brad Pitt, Aniston opted for therapy. She revealed to InStyle that therapy helped her decrease her anxiety levels and grow as an individual as well as in her relationships.
#4 Khloe Kardashian: Embarking on a Fitness Regime and Undergoing Hypnotherapy
The youngest of the Kardashian sisters, Khloe is well-known for her fitness transformation—she dropped 40 pounds and gained killer abs.
But sculpting her body has also been therapeutic for Khloe since it helps her deal with anxiety. She called fitness her therapy, particularly when her ex-husband, Lamar Odom, was hospitalized.
Khloe told Marie Claire magazine that the gym has taken away much of her stress and has helped her calm down. Whenever she feels like everything is closing in, she hits the gym. The physical release of exercise combined with the endorphin rush has worked wonders for her mental health.
Khloe has also explored hypnotherapy to combat anxiety. Of all the therapies she tried, hypnotherapy was the one that worked for her.
Hypnotherapy, or guided hypnosis, is a type of psychotherapy that uses extreme concentration, relaxation, and intense attention to achieve a heightened state of mental focus or consciousness. In simple words, this therapy puts the person in an altered state of consciousness or a trance.
#5 LeAnn Rimes: Checking into a Treatment Facility
LeAnn Rimes might be a country music singer, but even she has faced moments where the pressures of life became too much.
In 2012, at just 30 years old, LeAnn made the brave decision to check herself into a treatment facility to address her anxiety and depression.
She spoke about her life-changing decision to seek mental health treatment with Business Insider. Rimes believed that fame was a factor in anxiety and depression. Being in the public eye at a very young age resulted in anxiety and depression.
Her 30-day stay at the treatment center was life-changing, according to Rimes. That was a time for her to check out and take care of herself emotionally.
LeAnn’s decision to go to treatment shattered the stigma around seeking help. It showed that it’s okay to pause and prioritize your mental health, even when the world is watching.
It’s easy to assume that fame and success shield people from struggles, but these stories prove otherwise. The stars you admire for their talent and charisma are just like you—navigating the ups and downs of life, one step at a time.
If there’s one thing to take away from these stories, it’s that anxiety is manageable. It’s not about never feeling anxious again but about learning how to navigate those feelings and come out stronger on the other side.
And perhaps the most important lesson? You’re not alone. If the biggest stars in the world can face their anxiety and come out stronger, so can you.
