Empire's Taraji P. Henson has opened up about her struggles with depression in the past admitting that her mental health battles differs daily. The 49-year-old is now the cover star for SELF magazine and got even more candid with the publication further discussing the myth of the "strong Black woman."
"Sometimes, the weight is just too much and to put on that facade like you are strong all the time is exactly what it is, a facade; that’s whack," she explained, further detailing how the killing of Trayvon Martin sparked anxiety for her since her son was the same age range. “That's when I noticed anxiety started kicking in,” she added. “They're not going to [recognize] Taraji's son out here on these streets. It's me that is the star. He's not.”
Taraji describes the feeling as "really low, beaten, like never before" and feeling like you don't want to leave bed for days. “There are some times where I feel absolutely helpless,” she said. “That's human. Everybody feels like that. Just because I'm a black woman, don't put that strong-superhero thing on me.”
Aside from her acting credits, Taraji helps youth who struggle with mental health through her Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation - named after her father. "I think my mental health foundation picks up where my art leaves off."
Read her full feature here.