How do you sustain an acting career in survival mode while struggling with anxiety disorder.

I got a great question today and I'm going to give you some actionable resources. 

Question
I am diagnosed anxiety disorder (social) How do you work through anxiety or keep your cool as you walk into the room. Or even at home on zoom calls I get anxiety knowing there’s other humans all up in my face 

Answer
I am diagnosed with both depression and anxiety, so I know the struggle.  I stay in therapy and after 20 years, went on medication., Best thing I ever did.  It allowed me to calm down enough to apply all the lessons learned in talk therapy.   Many of which had to do with trying to be too many things for too many people.   Trying to manage anxiety without a doctor is like trying to manage hypertension without a doctor.

Question
I'm feeling very lost and out of the loop in my journey. Idk what my specific goals are anymore. But I do know: I just want to act (and dance and sing). I just want to act and be good at it. So good that I can start living and stop being in survival mode.  What goals and or path would you suggest to the actor who has lost their way but is now trying to get back on track?

Answer
After being diagnosed with anxiety and prioritizing healing, I hired a private coach for a year and learned to focus my career on one goal at a time.  The first coach taught me what kind of on camera work I wanted to do and for a single year.   

I met my coach each week for a year to practice on camera work for one hour TV episodics playing characters in my emotional chords.  

That's exactly how specific your goal needs to be and how clear your focus. 
I mean really focus.
For one year, I did only that. 
No free readings, plays, commercial auditions, etc. 
One thing at a time. 

Focus will help you get out of survival mode.  You cannot fully show up as an artist if your life is scattered and full of struggle.  Dealing with the anxiety and talk therapy will help you find life adjustments to get out survival mode.  As will a coach who will force you to focus and keep you accountable. 

For those of us with anxiety, choosing one thing at a time to do is critical.  Firstly, get or stay in talk therapy.  Talk to your therapist about meds or not, your choice.  I can only tell you that 20 years of white-knuckling through my anxiety could have been solved in 3 months. 

RECAP
1. Prioritize your emotional/mental help and develop a healing routine with a doctor.
2. Focus, Focus, Focus on one thing.  Hire a coach and work with that coach weekly until your focused goal is reached.  The goal must be completely within your power, measurable and concrete.

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