Gabrielle Union Opens Up About Anxiety, PTSD After Being Raped
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Gabrielle Union Opens Up About Anxiety, PTSD After Being Raped

Gabrielle Union has opened up about how she's struggled with her mental health as a rape survivor.

On Tuesday, the 49-year-old actress took to Instagram to talk about how she's struggled with anxiety and PTSD for the past 30 years after being sexually assaulted when she was 19.

"Living with anxiety and panic attacks all these years has never been easy. There's times the anxiety is so bad it shrinks my life. Leaving the house or making a left hand turn at an uncontrolled light can fill me with terror," Union wrote alongside a video of herself on the red carpet at the 2022 Met Gala.

"Anxiety can turn my anticipation about a party or fun event I've been excited about attending (Met Ball) into pure agony," she revealed before encouraging others to "please believe us the 1st time" when "we tell y'all what we are experiencing."

"No, it's not like being nervous and everyone experiences and deals with anxiety differently, and that's OK," the star added. "I don't need you to try to 'fix' me."

Union then went on to explain that she decided to share her story in the hopes that "everyone living with anxiety knows they aren't alone or 'being extra.'"

"I see you, I FEEL you and there is so much love for you. Always. Love and light good people," she concluded. "Be good to each other out there"

Granted, this isn't the first time Union has talked about her PTSD. Back in May 2018, she appeared in a The Child Mind Institute social media campaign about being diagnosed with the condition after she was raped at gunpoint.

"I am a PTSD survivor, thriver, bad ass motherfucker," she said at the time before saying that she didn't let the traumatic experience "stop me" or "define my whole life."

"And it doesn't have to," Union added. "Asking for help, needing help doesn't make you weak or less worthy of love or support or success." She went on to say that "PTSD isn't a death sentence" and that people "don't have to be alone or feel isolated."

"There are so many of us out there who are feeling with exactly what you're dealing with and it doesn't make you weak," she continued. "It doesn't make you anything but human."

See Union's post below.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.

Photo via Getty / Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic

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