If you’ve seen any television or film comedies over the last decade, chances are comedic icon Bill Hader has made you crack up, if not keel over with laughter. But even though the famous actor seems effortlessly funny in front of the camera, especially during his legendary run on SNL, it turns out he’s suffered from anxiety his whole life. He talks all about it in this video made to help children with mental disorders and learning disabilities.
In the video, Hader talks about how he’s struggled with anxiety since childhood, noting that he’s always had to deal with a little voice in his head that says “here’s all the things that could go wrong.” It seems the anxiety affected Hader during his time on SNL, as he discusses how the mental affliction was even an issue during his live television performances.
But Hader breaks down the way he’s managed to deal with the anxiety, saying that the condition is something that never goes away, but is rather managed. He says that he imagines the anxiety as a “little monster [attacking] his face,” but he doesn’t try to fight it. Instead, he makes friends with it, and invites it to take a seat on his shoulder. Hader also talks about a strategy for disarming anxiety by being mindful of it as an ephemeral emotional state that can be disconnected from whatever life event is causing it.
The video was made as a part of the Child Mind Institute’s #MyYoungerSelf video series, which aims to “[fight] the stigma for the 1 in 5 children struggling with mental health and learning disorders” by having actors, influencers, athletes, and other top performers talk about their own experiences with mental health issues. Above is an another brief video from the series by Mark Ruffalo.
What do you think of this video Bill Hader made for the Child Mind Institute? Let us know in the comments!
Feature image: NBC