Lili Reinhart opened up about one of the worst panic attacks of her life
For Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart, the road to fame wasn’t exactly smooth. The actress who plays Betty Cooper on the hit CW show has been extremely candid about her struggles with anxiety and depression since shooting to fame. In a recent interview with W Magazine, Reinhart opened up about the worst panic attack of her life which happened while she was a struggling actress in Los Angeles.
Before the life-changing panic attack occurred, the then 18-year-old Reinhart was living on her own in L.A., having moved from her parents’ home in North Carolina.
"I had so much anxiety booking work," the actress told W, "and I spent almost five months holed up in this bedroom in this house just feeling anxious, waiting for my next audition, and not doing anything else. It was the most miserable time of my life."
Living in the city without a car, Reinhart needed to pick up a side job to help pay for the Ubers she was taking.
"I had had to quit a few jobs in North Carolina because of how anxious they made me," Reinhart continued. "My anxiety was so bad that I had to keep quitting jobs because I physically could not work. But I knew I needed to make money, so I got the job and the women there was like, ‘You need to go find a black button-up shirt and slipless shoes.’"
After Ubering all over town to find these items with no success, Reinhart suffered from extreme anxiety and ended up throwing up in the car on her way home.
"I get home, lock the door in my room, immediately Skype my mom and said, 'Mom, I’m not okay.' I had to get a brown paper bag and breathe into it, which felt so dramatic, but I really could not breathe," Reinhart said. "I felt like my world was crashing. I didn’t want to admit defeat, but I was like, 'I need to come home. My mental health is suffering, and it is making me physically ill.'"
Reinhart moved back to North Carolina and began seeing her therapist again, who helped her learn techniques to manage her anxiety. It was during her “rebuilding” period that Reinhart submitted her first audition tape for Riverdale.
And while she didn’t get the part right away, Reinhart headed back out to Los Angeles once she felt more stable and auditioned again. And as we know, she ultimately got the job.
This story is an incredible example of how admitting you need help and that you need a time out is not admitting defeat. Reinhart is living, breathing proof that asking for help is the best first step to being your strongest self.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to loved ones if you struggle with anxiety or depression. You can also call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or if you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Hopeline Network at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433).
