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Katherine Heigl said taking medication for her mental health 'saved my life'
When you're struggling with your mental health, it can feel all-consuming — something Katherine Heigl seems familiar with. Heigl recently spoke to Yahoo! about how she uses medication, among other holistic measures, to manage her mental health. Life. Heigl's "people pleaser" tendencies caused a lot of "mental instability" early in her career, she shared. This was made worse by the sexist and unfair press coverage she received at the time, which led to her developing "terrible neuroses and anxiety," the 27 Dresses actress explained. “I had such an incredibly heightened level of anxiety...
Katherine Heigl said taking medication for her mental health 'saved my life'
When you're struggling with your mental health, it can feel all-consuming — something Katherine Heigl seems familiar with. Heigl recently spoke to Yahoo! about how she uses medication, among other holistic measures, to manage her mental health. Life.
Heigl's "people pleaser" tendencies caused a lot of "mental instability" early in her career, she shared. This was made worse by the sexist and unfair press coverage she received at the time, which led to her developing "terrible neuroses and anxiety," the 27 Dresses actress explained.
"I had such an incredibly heightened level of anxiety... I was trying to be the perfect person so as not to ruffle feathers," she told Yahoo! Life. The chatter surrounding Heigl in her 30s put the actress in a "super lonely place."
Now 43, she wishes she had known sooner that it was OK to seek mental health treatment, she explained in the recent interview. This currently includes taking medication, which “essentially saved my life,” Heigl revealed.
This isn't the first time the Firefly Lane star has spoken openly about taking medication for her mental health. Back in August 2022, the star told Parade that, on the advice of a therapist, she began taking Zoloft, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that helps increase levels of serotonin (also known as the mood-regulating hormone) in the brain. Medications like Zoloft can help relieve symptoms of mental illness, including anxiety and depression.
Taking psychiatric medications is much more common than you think
“I worked really hard for years to control my anxiety and really struggled,” Heigl told Parade. She was “really hesitant to take any medications,” instead relying on holistic methods like prayer, meditation, holding crystals, and long walks in nature. "I tried everything to stop it, but my mind just took over - the scary part, not the good part," she admitted.
When she started taking medication, Heigl felt relief very quickly, she explained. Now the Grey's Anatomy alum has found a combination of natural mood enhancers, medication and talk therapy to be helpful. It's something many experts recommend for those dealing with anxiety and depression.
How do medications help with anxiety?
ICYDK, antidepressants like Zoloft can provide short- and long-term relief by helping to balance certain neurotransmitters (aka chemicals that help send messages between brain cells), including serotonin and dopamine, Zishan Khan, MD, a psychiatrist at Mindpath Health, says Shape. “Medications can be crucial in reducing the intensity of the anxiety response one has on a daily basis by balancing these neurotransmitters or increasing their effects in the brain, thereby reducing or preventing potentially debilitating or disruptive anxiety.”
Sara Bareilles on how starting psychiatric medication helped her “see” herself again.
Want to know if you could benefit from prescription medications? “If you suffer from anxiety that feels debilitating or prevents you from fully participating in your life, medication can provide immediate symptom relief and help you feel more like yourself and live normally,” says Anisha Patel-Dunn, DO, psychiatrist and chief medical officer at LifeStance Health. “For some people, medication is the only thing that can give them enough relief to function and feel good.”
The first step to taking medication for mental health issues is to consult a licensed mental health professional, says Dr. Patel Dunn. Additionally, research shows that treating depression and anxiety with both medication and talk therapy can be more effective than either method alone, she adds.
Shaking the stigma
Talking about mental health can be difficult, in large part because of the ongoing stigma surrounding it. “Many people feel ashamed because they feel weak because they cannot manage their anxiety on their own,” says Dr. Khan.
Although progress has been made in destigmatizing mental health care, more remains to be done, adds Dr. Patel-Dunn added. “The truth is that mental health is just as important as physical health,” she says. “And just as medication is used as a tool to treat illness and injury, to help [you] feel [your] best, it is also an extremely important tool to support [your] mental and emotional well-being.”
The stigma surrounding psychiatric medications forces people to suffer in silence
Heigl's openness as a public figure is particularly important in changing public attitudes toward the use of medication for mental health problems. “It helps others realize they are not alone,” says Dr. Khan. "You're not abnormal if you have trouble controlling your anxiety... Even rich and famous people face similar struggles," he continues. “It normalizes mental health disorders and encourages the general population to seek help and not avoid addressing their problems.”
Hopefully Heigl's recent comments can help others dealing with mental health feel less alone and seek the help they need.