Ryan Reynolds shares anxiety struggle and how he keeps from ‘spinning out of control’

Ryan Reynolds, in an exclusive interview with Page Six, opened up about his lifelong struggles with anxiety.

Before a live appearance on a show like The Late Show with David Letterman, “I remember I’d be standing backstage before the curtain would open, and I would think to myself, ‘I’m gonna die. I’m literally gonna die here,” the Deadpool actor confessed.

“The curtain’s gonna open and … I’m just gonna be a symphony of vomit — just, like, something horrible’s gonna happen!” Reynolds said.

Reynolds’ anxiety issue isn’t uncommon: About one of every three US adults experiences an anxiety disorder at some point in their life, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Among adults with an anxiety disorder, almost one in four experienced serious impairment that impacted their ability to function in day-to-day situations.

The mental health issue is slightly more common in women than in men, and anxiety disorders often begin to show up in children and adolescents.

Medical experts describe several different types of anxiety: generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), separation anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder and a range of phobias.

Symptoms vary widely from person to person, according to the Mayo Clinic, but can often include:

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense
• A sense of impending danger, panic or doom
• An increased heart rate
• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Feeling weak or tired
• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
• Trouble sleeping
• Gastrointestinal (GI) problems

People with an anxiety disorder often find ways to cope with occasional events that trigger their anxiety: “I certainly have my own little rituals and those kinds of things that help me stay grounded and keep my mind from spinning out of control,” Reynolds said.

“Sometimes I’m really good at it, sometimes I’m not,” he admitted.

Experts recommend stress management techniques, limiting caffeine, meditation and support groups for people managing an anxiety disorder.

Reynolds said that when he becomes aware of his “out of control” moments, he meditates in an attempt to “take time” for himself to regroup.

“I tend to overbook myself when I’m spiraling that way,” he explained. “I’m sort of aware of that stuff and I manage it as well as you can.”

Doctors recommend that when anxiety affects your relationships, your job or school work, leads to drug or alcohol abuse, or causes thoughts of suicide or self-harm, it’s time to seek professional help.

Medications and therapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy have been shown to help people struggling with anxiety.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.