Millie Bobby Brown opened up about experiencing a three-month period of intense anxiety and panic and how spending time with monks in Japan helped her find a sense of calm. The Stranger Things star revealed on a podcast that she was left feeling traumatized after being chased by people while she was out in public, which sent her into a three-month spiral.
Millie Bobby Brown opens up about her three-month anxiety attack and the pressures of growing up in the spotlight
Millie Bobby Brown, 22, opened up about a difficult three-month period of her life during an appearance on the Monday, July 13, episode of the “On Purpose With Jay Shetty” podcast. The actress revealed a frightening incident when a group of people chased her and her security team for roughly 20 minutes, which triggered her anxiety cycle.
“One of my longest cycles must have been three months, and I got chased by somebody in a place, and it sent me into a three-month-long anxiety panic attack,” Brown revealed in this deeply personal conversation. “I got chased by these people, and it was really traumatizing. It was very, very intense and very scary. I shut down for three months.”
The 22-year-old then got emotional and described how a trip to Kyoto, Japan, with her husband Jake Bongiovi proved to be a breakthrough for her mental health. Her getaway turned into a spiritual reset when the couple visited a temple and spent time meditating with monks in a garden, with around 50 other people, where she learned techniques to manage her anxiety.
One monk in particular stood out to her. Brown said connecting with a monk during the visit helped her finally find a sense of calm she hadn’t been able to access before. “I met this one amazing Japanese gentleman, who was just so calm and almost felt like he saw me. I was at the height of my anxiety at this point. He knew that I was kind of broken,” she said.
Millie, who began filming Stranger Things at just 12 years old, has been quite vocal in the past about the pressures of growing up in the spotlight. Brown further revealed that she and Bongiovi have plans to return to the retreat with their family in the future.
TELL US – DO YOU ADMIRE MILLIE BOBBY BROWN FOR OPENING UP ABOUT HER ANXIETY ATTACK? WHAT PRACTICE HELPED YOU THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME?
