JoAnna Garcia Swisher told Wondermind that dealing with anxiety has been a lifelong struggle for her. Of how it first manifested, she said, “I was uncomfortable a lot, really worried, [and felt] the weight of the world.” Now, it usually presents for her as being fearful about the uncertainty of what’s to come. It can also be triggered by feeling overwhelmed. In a December 2023 Instagram post, the Hallmark star told her Instagram followers she was grappling with an “anxiety spiral.” She revealed that she had been sick with the flu, and even though she was exhausted, she couldn’t help but focus on everything that she needed to do. Swisher’s automated slideshow included a photo of her with her eyes closed and her hand on her face. An instrumental version of the Christmas song “Sleigh Ride” accompanied her pictures, so her stress seemed to be holiday-related. In a blog post on her website The Happy Place, Swisher wrote, “Anxiety has robbed me of enjoying some of the most precious moments in my life, distracting me from truly being in the moment.”
Swisher told Wondermind that she finds it helpful to go to therapy, and she also works with an energy healer who helps her improve her mental health by tapping into her mind-body connection. “For someone like me who struggles with anxiety, getting into my body is my biggest tool that I have to get back to the present,” she said.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
