Abigail Breslin Opens Up About Her Anxiety

Fans have practically seen Scream Queens star Abigail Breslin grow up right before their eyes. She made her film debut when she was only 5 years old in M. Night Shyamalan's Signs, and captured even more hearts a few years later with her incredible performance as Olive in Little Miss Sunshine. Breslin then went on to star in countless other films like Zombieland, Ender's Game, and Rango. She's that rare child star who transformed into a seemingly cool adult, and through it all, somehow remained down-to-earth. And Breslin's latest tweets show just how relatable and honest she is. Like so many people (myself included), Breslin struggles with anxiety and tweeted about having a panic attack while performing on Tuesday, the day before the opening night of her new play, All the Fine Boys.

According to Breslin's tweet, she was on stage when the panic attack first hit. She went on to point out that "anxiety doesn't warn you," which is a statement that anyone who suffers from the condition will absolutely agree with. Panic and anxiety can strike at literally any moment, especially when it comes to important events, you know, like the opening of a play.

The actor fortunately could rely on her supportive cast mates to help her pull through. In a follow-up tweet, Breslin explained that breathing exercises and tea helped her fend off the attack, so that she could finish the performance.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from anxiety, so it's awesome that Breslin is using her platform to highlight that anxiety really can happen to anyone at any time. And, more importantly, that there's nothing to be embarrassed about. By sharing about her panic attack and anxiety on social media, hopefully some of Breslin's followers will feel inspired to be more comfortable talking about their own mental health. I know I definitely feel a little more inclined to share about my struggles with anxiety.

As you may know, Breslin is starring in the upcoming ABC remake of Dirty Dancing, and the promotional poster dropped this week. I'll be watching when the reboot airs in May, and I'm happy to see the example Breslin is showing — that panic and anxiety don't have to stop you from totally kicking ass.