How Kristen Bell Applies Her Mental Health Mantra When Parenting Daughters Lincoln and Delta

"Sometimes, with a mental health issue, you just got to let them live," Kristen Bell shared in a new interview about how she deals with her anxiety and depression.

By Alyssa Morin Aug 15, 2021 8:03 PMTags

When it comes to sharing her mental health journey, Kristen Bell is an open door.

The Frozen actress recently discussed the many ways she manages her anxiety and depression, whether it creeps up when she's at home with her family or busy with work and other projects. In a new interview with CNBC on Saturday, Aug. 14, the 41-year-old star explained that she doesn't let her mental struggles build up.

"I don't wait for those things to find me," she told the outlet. "I have a preoperative list to combat them because I know they're coming."

Kristen revealed that when she's struggling with her mental health, she turns to three things: exercise, talking about it and giving herself a timeout. 

"It's important to remember those feelings that you are having aren't 'your feelings,' but rather 'a feeling that is passing through you,'" she said. "Sometimes, with a mental health issue, you just got to let them live."

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Stars Who Speak Out on Mental Health

If anything, that's a mantra Kristen puts into practice when parenting her two daughtersLincoln, 8, and Delta, 6, whom she shares with husband Dax Shepard.

The Veronica Mars alum explained that when one of her kids is crying, she'll ask them, "Do you want a solution to this problem you're crying about, or do you just want to let this feeling pass through you?"

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When Kristen is having a moment while she's at home with her family, she sets aside time for herself. She shared, "I will go to my bedroom for 10 minutes, just to reset and regulate."

During those timeouts, she said that she'll sometimes use CBD-infused products to help relax her even more.

Additonally, Kristen revealed that she uses the same technique if she's on a work Zoom call, and will sign off early to recharge.

"You don't have to give a reason," the actress simply put it, noting that it's the same concept as "putting on your gas mask first, and not being embarrassed about that."

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When it comes to prioritizing her well-being, the Good Place star reminds herself of a famous Eleanor Roosevelt quote: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

"I just don't consent anymore," she explained. "I'm not embarrassed about any of the time I need to take to help myself, because that's making me a better me."