Bill Hader and his Anxiety

[Isadoorian]

Came across a video about Actor/Comedian Bill Hader and how he learned to cope with his Anxiety later on in life. Figured it'd be an excellent video to share.

 

[GadAbout]

If I'm not mistaken, anxiety is the very most common "mental illness," if you don't mind my medicalizing it.

Hader's approach may be helpful to many. I respect him for going public about it. But I would have liked to know if he learned that technique in therapy or on his own.

It's also possible that his anxiety is of a whole order of magnitude different than what some people experience. I don't have a lot of anxiety, so I admit I am unable to properly empathize with those who do. My own experience with anxiety has just been to "take that leap," an option that might not be possible for some.

 

[Fino]

My own experience with anxiety has just been to "take that leap," an option that might not be possible for some.

By this do you mean that your anxiety was about doing some particular thing so you just had to do it? Or do you mean something else?

 

[Isadoorian]

But I would have liked to know if he learned that technique in therapy or on his own.

He said essentially he came up with it on his own

 

[GadAbout]

By this do you mean that your anxiety was about doing some particular thing so you just had to do it? Or do you mean something else?

Give you an example. Perhaps I was anxious about contacting a researcher out of the blue, either in person or by phone. If I had to do that for my career, I just did it, even though anxious.

 

[Fino]

Give you an example. Perhaps I was anxious about contacting a researcher out of the blue, either in person or by phone. If I had to do that for my career, I just did it, even though anxious.

For the most part I'm the same way, such as extraordinary anxiety over performing. But my problem, and likely many others, is the anxiety that just sits there for seemingly no reason and makes you feel awful all the time over nothing.

But I thought it was interesting what you said because I don't even think of the anxiety you describe when the subject of anxiety comes up so I found it interesting that it was the kind you thought of first and now I wonder what other people think of when they think of anxiety.

 

[AnnMoss]

This is a meditation practice, mindfulness, to observe your thoughts and feelings, accept them for what they are and live with them as they are just noticing and accepting them. It is very hard for me to do, but it is a great practice. Just google "mindfulness" and there are near neverending articles and instructions on the topic.
How to Use Mindfulness to Work With Difficult Emotions: A Six Step Process

Off topic/on topic, I adore Bill Hader. "Barry" is amazing.