Corinne Foxx Is Helping Fans Create an 'Anti-Anxiety Toolbox'
Mental health conditions are common among teens and young adults, personally impacting one in five Americans. I sat down with model, actress, writer, and social activist Corinne Foxx to discuss anxiety, therapists, and social media. The article was featured on the cover of Mediaplanet’s 2017 “College Health and Safety” issue, distributed within USA Today and across several U.S. college campuses.
Corinne Foxx photographed by Matthew Schueller.
“At age 14 I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder,” explains Corinne Foxx, daughter of actor, singer, songwriter, and comedian Jamie Foxx. She recalls first experiencing physical symptoms in a high school classroom. “At the time, I didn’t know anyone else who had anxiety, so I kept it to myself. Everyone feels nervous, but this didn’t feel normal. I remember my palms were sweating and my heart was racing.”
After several months, her symptoms escalated and started to negatively impact her education.
“I’d get so anxious that I didn’t even want to enter the classroom,” she recalls. It was then that Foxx decided to ask for help.
“I told my parents that I wanted to talk to someone, but I recognize that most kids aren’t like that. A lot of people ignore it for a long time and suffer in silence because they think that they’re weird or that no one else feels that way.”
With help from a therapist, Corinne started building what she refers to as her “toolbox” to cope with anxiety.
“When I went to college, I felt like I had a pretty good handle on things, but you face different pressures in college,” she explains, laughing. “It’s very socially-driven, there’s test anxiety. It’s a whole new beast, so I had to reevaluate how I cope.”
“Everything that I’ve ever accomplished, I had to push through fear and anxiety to get there.”
According to a recent study by the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, 95 percent of the college counseling center directors surveyed believe that the number of students with significant psychological problems is a growing concern. Seventy percent of directors believe that the number of students with severe psychological problems on their campuses has increased within the past year. Foxx advises fans and followers who are struggling with anxiety to find a confidant and communicate often.
“Have an open conversation with a trusted adult,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be a parent, it can be a teacher that you trust. Let them know that you are going through a stressful time. You can say, ‘I might not have an issue right now, but will you be there for me if something comes up?’”
Foxx recently launched Foxxtales, an online platform where conversations about mental health and wellness are at the forefront. She hopes that the magazine will act as a source of inspiration for her fans and followers.
“We wanted to bring positive content back to the internet,” she explains. “I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me on social media and ask questions, and I try to respond as often as I can.”
On the website Foxx outlines how she manages anxiety in her life, but is quick to acknowledge that when it comes to mental health, one size doesn’t fit all.
“A big part of my treatment is self-care: working out often, meditating, journaling, and getting enough sleep,” she outlines. “I also do talk therapy. I’ve had the same therapist since I was 14. This works for me, but it won’t work for everyone. Some people need medication, some people need different forms of therapy. I’ve figured out what works for me, but it’s very case-by-case.”
Knowing that anxiety is an ongoing battle, Foxx retrurns to a simple mantra on bad days.
“The only thing to fear is fear itself,” she recites smiling. “I like to remind people that they are incredibly strong. A mental illness can make you feel like you’re weak; that you’re not like everyone else; that everyone else is stronger than you. You’re a lot stronger than the average person. Everything that I’ve ever accomplished, I had to push through fear and anxiety to get there.”