Olivia Munn Reveals Struggle With Anxiety, Trichotillomania After Abuse
Olivia Munn has had a successful career in the entertainment industry, but that doesn't prevent her from having anxiety. The 32-year-old actress recently revealed that she suffers from clinical anxiety and trichotillomania, a disorder that causes her to pull out her eyelashes.
"I don't bite my nails, but I rip out my eyelashes," Munn told New York Daily News. "It doesn't hurt, but it's really annoying. Every time I run out of the house, I have to stop and pick up a whole set of fake eyelashes."
Munn has also opened up about her abusive stepfather, whom she refers to only as "the Devil." He was verbally abusive and critical of the youngster's every move.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"He would always say, 'you're not smart enough, pretty enough. You have no talent,' and it would knock me down, but it wouldn't keep me down," she told Ocean Drive magazine.
His words helped fuel her passion for acting but also could have contributed to Munn's psychological conditions, especially given that she was responsible for helping keep her siblings distracted during his tirades.
"I would hustle everybody into my room and launch into imitations of teachers or do scenes from movies … and that would take their minds off of the hell that was happening down the hall," Munn explained.
Now Munn has a successful career in both film and TV. She recently starred in the summer's hit "Magic Mike" and has a recurring role on HBO's hit drama, "The Newsroom." That success, however, does not alleviate her personal anxiety.
"I know how lucky I am, but I won't allow myself to get sucked in by all the talk. Talk is just for a moment. This career has to last for a long time. I'm aligning myself with people like Jon Stewart, Aaron Sorkin, Steven Soderbergh, and Paul Schneider so that this recent success won't be temporary," Munn explained.
"People tell me, 'Your work won't keep you warm at night.' But it does pay for my heat and down comforter, so it technically does," she added.
