Abigail ClarkeElizabeth Olsen has been trending across UK entertainment searches this week following her "Eternity" UK promotional tour and renewed discussions about her decade-long battle with severe anxiety — a story that resonates far beyond Hollywood and speaks directly to a wider mental health crisis in Britain's workforce.
The Panic Attacks Nobody Saw
In her 20s, at the height of her early career, Elizabeth Olsen suffered panic attacks "almost every hour," she revealed to Glamour magazine. The attacks were triggered by the smallest physical changes — going from hot to cold, from hungry to full. They felt, she said, like she was going to "drop dead."
What makes Olsen's story particularly striking is the gap between her outward success and her inner experience. While she was building a career that would eventually see her become Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she was managing crippling anxiety on set. She was developing coping strategies in real time: avoiding heels because they made her feel vertigo-prone, naming objects out loud on the street to interrupt spiralling thoughts.
She has spoken about nearly quitting acting entirely. She didn't — but many people in high-pressure professions make that choice, often without the support they need.
This Is Not Just a Hollywood Story
Olsen's experience is not unusual in the entertainment industry. But the underlying pattern — high-achieving professionals masking serious mental health difficulties, often for years — is one that UK mental health professionals see regularly across sectors.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 17.1 million working days were lost in Great Britain in 2023/24 due to work-related stress, depression and anxiety. It is now the single largest cause of work absence in the country. And yet, research consistently shows that people in high-pressure, public-facing, or performance-based roles are least likely to seek help.
There is a particular dynamic at play in creative and professional services industries: the pressure to appear competent and composed, combined with freelance or self-employed structures that offer no formal mental health support, creates the conditions for burnout to go undetected for years.
When Anxiety Becomes a Career Question
In March 2026, Olsen publicly stated she knows "nothing" about her future as Scarlet Witch in upcoming Marvel films. Whether or not that is factually true, it signals something significant: after years of one of the most demanding franchises in cinema, she is actively choosing roles that "reflect her personal taste" rather than schedules and expectations imposed from outside.
Mental health specialists in the UK refer to this moment — the deliberate recalibration of professional choices to protect psychological wellbeing — as a positive recovery milestone. But they also note it is extremely difficult to reach this point without professional support. Most people require help recognising the patterns before they can change them.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), offered through NHS Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT), remains the most evidence-based treatment for panic disorder and generalised anxiety disorder in the UK. But waiting times can be long. Many people turn to private psychology or counselling services, where access is immediate but costs vary significantly.
The Expert Angle: Why You Shouldn't Wait
Olsen's story contains an important warning: she managed her anxiety largely alone for years before it became more visible. Grounding techniques — naming objects, focusing on physical sensations — are genuine tools used in CBT and mindfulness-based approaches. But self-management has limits. When anxiety is affecting work, relationships, or decision-making on a regular basis, that is the threshold at which professional assessment becomes important.
A GP is typically the first point of contact in the UK, but a psychologist or mental health consultant can provide a more targeted evaluation. On Expert Zoom, you can find qualified mental health professionals able to offer a first consultation — whether you are dealing with performance anxiety, work-related stress, or broader patterns that are starting to affect your quality of life.
The parallel to Olsen's experience: Claire Foy on anxiety: when creative burnout becomes a health issue — a related read for UK readers navigating similar pressures.
Panic Disorder vs. Anxiety: Knowing the Difference
For readers who recognise elements of Olsen's experience in their own lives, it is worth understanding the clinical distinction:
Panic disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks — sudden surges of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms (racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness). They peak within minutes.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) involves persistent, excessive worry that is difficult to control, spread across multiple areas of life.
Both are treatable. Both are common. And both are frequently under-reported in professional contexts because of stigma, fear of appearing incapable, or simple uncertainty about whether what you are experiencing is "serious enough" to mention.
It is serious enough. Elizabeth Olsen found a way through — and so did millions of others who sought help before the condition defined the limits of their ambitions.
Note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or panic, please speak to your GP or a qualified mental health professional.
