Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, and other celebrities explain how they're managing anxiety during quarantine

Canela LópezMay 26, 2020, 22:11 IST

Octavia Spencer detailed how she's learning to cook to cope with quarantine.Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Celebrities are opening up about their best practices for taking care of mental health in quarantine.
Stars including Emma Chamberlain and Margot Robbie made short clips of themselves discussing the different strategies they use to manage pandemic anxiety.
Octavia Spencer and Emma Stone said picking up new habits like cooking and reading are helping them pass the time.

As part of a campaign to start a conversation about mental health in quarantine, stars including Emma Chamberlain and Margot Robbie have made short videos of themselves candidly discussing how they've been faring during the pandemic.

Some, like Oscar award-winning actresses Octavia Spencer and Emma Stone, shared their tips for dealing with quarantine anxiety. From cooking to reading to making lists and calendars, the ways each star is coping with lockdown vary.

The Child Mind Institute's #WeThriveInside celebrity campaign is meant to destigmatize and bring awareness to the impacts of quarantine on mental health, according to the campaign website.

Here are how six celebrities are faring and how they're managing their mental health.

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Emma Stone, a board member of the Child Mind Institute, said meditation has helped her cope with anxiety in quarantine.

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The "La La Land" star said she's been spending a lot of time dancing around her house to help loosen up.

Stone said she also discovered a new unnamed author during her time indoors and has been using the time to read all of their short stories and novels.

"It's been really fun to kind of be introduced to a new world that I didn't know about before now," Stone said.

Stone has taken up guided meditation as a way to help her manage anxiety throughout her day..

"I find meditation is very helpful for my anxiety disorder, so just sitting 10 to 20 minutes a day and repeating a mantra really works for me because you can just count your breaths," Stone said.

The La La Land star said she's been spending a lot of time dancing around her house to help loosen up.

Stone said she also discovered a new unnamed author during her time indoors and has been using the time to read all of their short stories and novels.

It's been really fun to kind of be introduced to a new world that I didn't know about before now, Stone said.

Stone has taken up guided meditation as a way to help her manage anxiety throughout her day..

I find meditation is very helpful for my anxiety disorder, so just sitting 10 to 20 minutes a day and repeating a mantra really works for me because you can just count your breaths, Stone said.

Octavia Spencer said she's picked up cooking and told viewers 'It's okay to be anxious' during the pandemic.

Barcroft Media / Getty Images

Spencer, known for her roles in "Hidden Figures," "The Help," and "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker," said she's dedicated to learning how to cook by the end of lockdown.

"I'm trying to learn one new thing that I carry throughout this whole ordeal and that is I'm trying to learn to cook," Spencer said. "Now one would think I probably would have ventured down that road a long time ago but no."

Though she's nailed boiling eggs, Spencer said baking presents a whole challenge of its own.

"It's okay to be anxious," she said. "This is a very traumatic thing that we're all experiencing and we're doing that together. It's also very good to go on walks, remaining socially physically distant, but getting a little exercise and vitamin D will also release endorphins and you feel a lot better."

Spencer is also taking the time to listen to music, meditate, and talk to family to stay socially connected.

Spencer, known for her roles in Hidden Figures, The Help, and Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker, said she's dedicated to learning how to cook by the end of lockdown.

I'm trying to learn one new thing that I carry throughout this whole ordeal and that is I'm trying to learn to cook, Spencer said. Now one would think I probably would have ventured down that road a long time ago but no.

Though she's nailed boiling eggs, Spencer said baking presents a whole challenge of its own.

It's okay to be anxious, she said. This is a very traumatic thing that we're all experiencing and we're doing that together. It's also very good to go on walks, remaining socially physically distant, but getting a little exercise and vitamin D will also release endorphins and you feel a lot better.

Spencer is also taking the time to listen to music, meditate, and talk to family to stay socially connected.

Storm Reid is in the same position as many teens right now.

Actor Storm Reid arrives at the world premiere of Disney’s 'A Wrinkle in Time' at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood CA, Feburary 26, 2018. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

The 16 year-old "A Wrinkle in Time" star is having to manage school while in quarantine like many teens in lockdown — all while juggling a social life and career.

Reid said she's been spending a good deal of time playing with her dog, bingeing her favorite TV shows, and staying productive by reviewing scripts.

"I've also just been taking time with myself and realizing not every day is going to be easy but just trying to stay positive through it all," Reid said. "I'm sending you love and light and just know we are all alone together."

The 16 year-old A Wrinkle in Time star is having to manage school while in quarantine like many teens in lockdown — all while juggling a social life and career.

Reid said she's been spending a good deal of time playing with her dog, bingeing her favorite TV shows, and staying productive by reviewing scripts.

I've also just been taking time with myself and realizing not every day is going to be easy but just trying to stay positive through it all, Reid said. I'm sending you love and light and just know we are all alone together.

Andrew Garfield said his dad has been teaching him to garden.

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Garfield, an actor known for his role as "Spiderman," lives alone in his apartment, which is why he finds it so important to reach out to his loved ones for support.

"I'm finding reaching out to friends and family and people that I love or love me will hold space for me to be emotional about how I'm feeling, that feels really important," Garfield said.

He shared that his father has been teaching him to garden as well.

Garfield said it's important to acknowledge what a stressful and odd time this is in order to help manage anxiety.

"Acknowledge that this is very very strange and different and something I've never experienced before, and accept that there's going to be some wobbles, there's going to be anxiety and there's gonna be some fear and as long as I can accept that, then I don't add to that fear."

Garfield, an actor known for his role as Spiderman, lives alone in his apartment, which is why he finds it so important to reach out to his loved ones for support.

I'm finding reaching out to friends and family and people that I love or love me will hold space for me to be emotional about how I'm feeling, that feels really important, Garfield said.

He shared that his father has been teaching him to garden as well.

Garfield said it's important to acknowledge what a stressful and odd time this is in order to help manage anxiety.

Acknowledge that this is very very strange and different and something I've never experienced before, and accept that there's going to be some wobbles, there's going to be anxiety and there's gonna be some fear and as long as I can accept that, then I don't add to that fear.

Mark Ronson showed off the chalkboard he has in his house to help keep him on schedule every day.

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Musician Mark Ronson made a schedule dividing his time on a blackboard to help keep him organized and purposeful.

"I find some of the days now we don't have some of the same things to do that we used to," Ronson said. "So I find this pretty helpful to keep some kind of routine."

Ronson pencils in time for meditation and yoga along with necessities like meals and coffee.

Ronson recommends endorphin-releasing activities like yoga and meditation to keep anxiety down. He also makes time for going on walks outside, emphasizing the need to stay socially distant during them.

The musician also discussed his Monday nights appointment with his therapist, saying that he finds them helpful for his mental health.

Musician Mark Ronson made a schedule dividing his time on a blackboard to help keep him organized and purposeful.

I find some of the days now we don't have some of the same things to do that we used to, Ronson said. So I find this pretty helpful to keep some kind of routine.

Ronson pencils in time for meditation and yoga along with necessities like meals and coffee.

The musician also discussed his Monday nights appointment with his therapist, saying that he finds them helpful for his mental health.

Jonah Hill said he's using this time to tell family and friends all of the things he appreciates about them.

Michael Buckner / Getty Images

The actor and director has taken up journaling as a big part of his daily routine to help center him and manage any negative feelings he might be having.

"I try to write down my thoughts and feelings every day, no matter how bad I'm feeling, how anxious I'm feeling, it's something to really just get it out, and once it's out it's not as powerful anymore," Hill said.

Hill also strongly recommends tuning into guided meditations, as those have been extremely helpful in grounding him.

Like many people who had demanding schedules before quarantine, Hill said all of the additional time inside has given him space to think about all loved ones more deeply.

"I like to write things to my friends and family that I appreciate about them that I maybe didn't take the time to say to them when I didn't have all this time," Hill said.

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