It is very positive that many celebrities are willing to come forward and share their personal mental health struggles publicly. Recently, Ryan Reynolds talked about his battle with severe anxiety. He wanted to be transparent for his young daughters, who are 6, 4, and 1.

In an interview on ET (Entertainment Tonight) the handsome 44-year-old husband of actress Blake Lively, told the outlet, “Part of it is that I have three daughters at home and part of my job as a parent is to model behaviors and model what it’s like to be sad and model what it’s like to be anxious, or angry."

Parents should take a lead from this, especially in light of the trying times we live in. Between shootings, racism, financial pressures and a myriad of other stressors happening, learning to handle emotions is vital. Emotions are reactions to circumstances that often are beyond our control, but we have to learn how to cope with the end results that in some cases, can cause a type of paralysis. How many of us can say there have not been times we got so depressed or anxious that we cancelled going to an event? I admit to it and there is no shame. I was the ultimate loser in passing on a family event, a social gathering, or a job commitment because I felt too disconnected to go, but I have learned that understanding the demons that surface and twirl around in your brain and realizing they can be put back in the proverbial Pandora's Box are the keys to having a better and more productive life. 

Getting back to Reynolds, he was promoting his new film, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard. The actor commented that talking about mental health struggles can help to demystify stigmas:  “I know that when I felt at the absolute bottom it’s usually been because I felt like I was alone in something I was feeling. So I think when people talk about it, I don’t necessarily dwell on it or lament on it, but I think it’s important to talk about it. And when you talk about it, it kind of sets other people free.”

He said he could not talk to his parents about mental health. He explained that they were good people but part of a generation that never discussed it. I had the blessing of having wonderful parents who were highly empathetic. I was very fortunate. I could talk to them.

Ryan's co-star Selma Hayek said, “If you’re very young or have not achieved a certain amount of success, it might make you feel like there is something wrong with you and it’s not. It’s part of having an intellect that’s very easily stimulated and it’s just about channeling that.”

Kids need to know this and have outlets to channel their emotions into creativity. 

Ryan himself sought professional help after he filmed Deadpool. He experienced uncontrollable shaking and thought it might be neurological; the diagnosis--anxiety. There is no disgrace.