Film and TV is full of characters with anxiety. It may surprise you how often you see them, and just don’t notice! Anxiety is a common problem for millions of people, but we struggle to relate to characters in media. Maybe it’s because they look strong, or imposing. The fact of the matter is they look like any other character.
Fear from “Inside Out”
The first character to struggle with anxiety is Fear from the Disney/Pixar movie Inside Out. Everything he does is based in fear, anxiety, or panic. For anyone that suffers with anxiety, Fear is absolutely relatable. However, the important point of Inside Out is not how fear is bad, but how its a necessary part of being human.
Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy
To say Bones is an anxious character is stating obvious fact. He is worried about everything. Of course, he is a doctor and his job is to worry about the safety of everyone on board the Starship Enterprise. However, as many with anxiety know, there is worrying too much. Bones might fall into that category.
Fleabag in “Fleabag”
Fleabag might be one of the funniest female characters with anxiety. Despite her anxieties, she manages to hide it so well. Not only is this one of the most realistic portrayals of anxiety, it’s also a sad reality. Often we are expected to hide our flaws, yet Fleabag brings it front and center. She is easily one of my favorite characters with anxiety in tv shows in the past decade.
Sherlock Holmes in “Sherlock”
When thinking of anxious characters the great detective Sherlock Holmes might not come to mind. However, he likes things a very particular way. When his routine is interrupted he lashes out. This is a common trait for people with anxiety, they do not like their way of life interrupted. Sherlock is a very relatable character for many with anxiety, but he does venture into the extremely hard to get along with territory.
Piglet
Piglet is easily in the hall of fame in children’s literature of characters with anxiety. He is worried about EVERYTHING! If it weren’t for his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood would he ever leave his home? How many who suffer from anxiety could say the very same thing? Piglet and his friends show us how anxiety sufferers need to rely on others to move forward. He is also on a list of Disney characters with anxiety.
King George IV in “The Kings Speech”
Kings don’t deal with normal anxiety. They just don’t! However, Bertie, as his vocal instructor calls him, is soon to ascend the English throne. The problem is he has a horrible stutter. He suffers from anxiety about public speaking and now he is soon to be crowned king! The Kings Speech is a fantastic story of one learning how to overcome his anxieties. More importantly, this movie shows one of histories real life characters with anxiety.
Bob in “What About Bob?”
Bob struggles with… life. His neurotic sensibilities causes all kinds of trouble. Can his new therapist help him overcome his anxieties about everything? Bob is a hilarious character but his character’s anxiety, while over the top at times, is relatable.
Melvin in “As Good As It Gets”
Melvin Udall might not appear to have anxiety. In fact the complete opposite! He is rude to anyone and everyone! Melvin is a successful author who struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This disorder is considered an anxiety disorder because when routines or compulsions are interrupted it creates great anxiety. While many might not realize it, OCD is a example of a form of anxiety. Melvin is a great example of unlikely characters with anxiety. Yet we still love him.
Thor
Out of all the characters with anxiety, Thor is the last one we’d expect on this list. Even the mighty Thor struggled with mental illness. He also struggled with depression. He joins a vast list of characters with anxiety and depression. In Avengers: Endgame Thor was a shell of the once mighty god of thunder. In one memorable scene he even has a panic attack. But a conversation with his mother Freya was a turning point for him. Was she using a therapeutic technique called CBT? Regardless of how he overcame his anxiety, Thor’s Endgame portrayal showed us another side of the mighty warrior.
For Resources on Anxiety
For more information and resources, check out https://nami.org/Home.
Another great resource is https://www.nimh.nih.go
