According to Taraji P. Henson, her depression would get so bad at times in her life that she felt as if she was living in a “dark cloud,” revealed a new report from Page Six. The star admitted she often had moments where mood swings were the norm, for instance, waking up in the morning and not wanting to leave the house, almost to the point of agoraphobia.
During an interview with Self Magazine, the 49-year-old actress opened up about her mental state. The star admitted to suffering from anxiety at times, for instance, racing thoughts and scatter-brain, which would lead to increased anxiety and worry about the potential for bad things to happen.
However, Taraji stated there was no shame in feeling in that way, because when she started to realize what was happening, she immediately chose to start speaking with a therapist to help her work through her issues.
Henson claims she found a therapist through her co-star, Gabourey Sidibe. Regarding what it was like to find the right person for therapy, Sidibe claimed it was almost like the sky cracked open and she could suddenly see everything clearly.
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Taraji revealed her saving grace was finding a black woman who could empathize with her problems. According to Henson, black women experience the world differently than other people, and oftentimes, the expectations are unique, so she wanted to speak to a person who would understand her.
Furthermore, Henson dished on the “strong black woman” idea and stated it was a dangerous misconception. Henson admitted to feeling “absolutely helpless” at times in her life, and everyone feels like that sometimes, it’s part of feeling human. The failure to recognize all facets of the human experience, regardless of race, was a problem for everyone.
As fans of the actress know, she has been active in the mental health advocacy movement for a few years now, following the struggles of her father following his return home from the Vietnam War.
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Back in 2018, Henson began the Boris Lawrence Henson foundation which seeks to help those struggling with psychological problems in the black community.
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