Taraji P. Henson, Our December Cover Star, on Mental Health, Menopause, and More

See Our Latest Cover Star! If you are unable to see the message below, [click here to view](. [Taraji P. Henson Takes on Mental Health, Menopause, and the Myth of the 'Strong Black Woman']( [Plus, the unexpected costar who referred Henson to their shared therapist.]( [SELF Healthy Eating] We’re excited to introduce you to our December cover star: Taraji P. Henson. In this wide-ranging interview with SELF senior health editor Patia Braithwaite, the Academy Award-nominated star discusses the mental health advocacy work she does through her foundation, how she found her therapist, why she nearly didn’t end up with her fiancé, and more. The 49-year-old actor, who has been open about her anxiety and depression, also gets candid about how menopause has affected her mental health. “I would get so low, really, really low, beaten, like never before,” she says. “You may have those days [when] you're like, ‘Oh, I just don't feel like getting out of bed. I just want to sleep in,’ but you don't feel heavy. I was just starting to feel heavy a lot, [like] suffocating…. It just came out of nowhere.” Thanks to this vulnerability, Henson helps to break down the trope of the “strong black woman,” which she’s adamant is a myth. Despite having so much on her plate, the multi-faceted actor says that she is more than okay now—seeing her therapist, FaceTiming her French bulldog, climbing to new professional heights (including with her new hair care line), and even playing dodgeball when she has the time. “I'm a whole black woman, whatever comes with that,” she says. “All the emotions, all of the rage, the anger, the love, the hurt, the hope, the despair, the strength, the vulnerability. I'm all of that.” [READ HER STORY]( [VIDEO: Taraji P. Henson on Living With Depression and Anxiety]( [The actress and advocate sits down with us to talk about her own mental health struggles and why she now believes that “perfection is the perfect lie.”]( [WATCH NOW]( [Instagram]( [Pinterest]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10001 Copyright © 2019 Condé Nast.