Elizabeth Olsen Reveals Why She Used To Have Panic Attacks ‘Almost Every Hour’

Elizabeth Olsen is talking candidly about how debilitating her anxiety once was.

The “His Three Daughters” actress revealed in a Sunday interview with The Guardian that she used to get panic attacks every day when she was in her 20s.

“Many times, almost every hour, actually!” Olsen stated, adding that they were frequently set off by small changes in her environment.

It was literally whenever there was a change in temperature, such as from hot to cold or from hungry to full. I wondered, “Oh, is this okay?” And after that, it would get out of control and turn into a habit, she claimed.

The “WandVision” actress continued by saying that she didn’t know how to handle her body’s reaction to worry when she was younger because there weren’t as many chats about mental health.

According to Olsen, “panic attacks were taboo in the mid-2000s.” “I assumed it meant to just make a list, cross things off, and move on. I had to find a way to exert some control over it, even if I was unaware that it was something beyond your control.

When she finally “figured out what works for me, or what works enough,” she claimed to have finally gained control over it.

The “Love & Death” actress revealed that in order to “interrupt the thinking process” and break the pattern, she must now name everything she sees in her mind whenever she senses an attack coming on.

She also said to the site that she avoids wearing heels because she feels like wearing them might cause vertigo, which exacerbates anxiety. She clarified that this is the reason she occasionally takes off her heels as soon as she sits down at public events.

She told the site, “People thought it was a feminist choice.” Like, not at all! I’m going to freak out if I wear these and I’m in front of you guys. With my feet on the earth, please.

Robbie Arnett, a musician and Olsen’s spouse, also struggles with anxiety. Together, they co-wrote the children’s book “Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective,” which was published in 2022. The book teaches young readers how to cope with the disease by following a cat named Hattie Harmony. In 2023, while promoting “Hattie Harmony: Opening Night,” Olsen talked candidly to People about her battles with panic episodes.

“I was certain there was a medical issue with me,” Olsen said to the publication at the time. “When they occur, they can be really frightening. I discovered how to play games to stay in the now and stop spinning.

Arnett said at the time, “When we were younger, we both wanted a Hattie.”