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‘I Started Bawling Crying': Oliver Hudson Opens Up About Anxiety Medication Withdrawals
Hudson disclosed that the panic attack left him unexpectedly dissociated and in a mess. But he was eventually able to get over the terrors of anxiety because of his family.
Oliver Hudson does not shy away from sharing his anxiety battles. Now, the actor shared his traumatic experience after pulling the plug on an anxiety medication. Talking to sister Kate Hudson and another guest on their jointly-hosted podcast, Sibling Revelry, the actor talked about once being struck by a sudden intense withdrawal while playing football.
Hudson disclosed that the panic attack left him unexpectedly dissociated and in a mess. But he was eventually able to get over the terrors of anxiety because of his family.
Oliver Hudson discloses his battle with medication withdrawals
In the latest episode of Sibling Revelry, Oliver Hudson sat down to reflect on the terrifying effects of anxiety and whether taking antidepressants is a direct solution. Anxiety Specialist and author Drew Linsalata joined him and co-host Kate Hudson on Thursday, May 2. Without much reluctance, the Grown Ups 2 actor recalled a withdrawal incident when he tried to wean off the antidepressant, Celexa “three or four years ago.”
“I was away from my kids and it just hit me. I was playing beach football and had a f—king crazy panic attack, it was nuts. I started bawling crying,” Hudson revealed. Then filming ABC’s Nashville, the actor was assured that he was doing well without his anxiety medication. 
The father of three, who is married to Erinn Bartlett, further spoke of his experience, “I was like, please, I cannot believe this is happening. I was weaning off and I thought I was doing it correctly and it just took me to a place. It was just so debilitating. It’s hard to even explain, I mean, complete dissociation, I was a mess.”
However, the responsibility of supporting his family pushed him out of the ordeal. Hudson continued with his anxiety medication owing to the “need” to support his family of five. He added, “And now I’m just on it. But that withdrawal was so nuts.” Later, The Cleaning Lady star illuminated that undergoing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was a big win for his recovery.
Oliver Hudson weaned off another antidepressant in 2021
In February 2022, the Hollywood star shared a snippet from June 2021 with his fans talking about his withdrawal experience from another antidepressant that he had been on for five and a half years. Hudson documented the time he was weaning off Lexapro and revealed that the ordeal was “really gnarly” for him.
“Just scary, honestly. Scary, at times. But in this moment right now I feel good. I feel f**king great. It may be fleeting in an hour and I might be back to where I was but I'm just going to bathe in normalcy for a moment,” Hudson said in the video. Hesitant on whether the video was a bit too “self-indulgent,” he almost did not post it on Instagram, per the caption.
Oliver Hudson’s grappling struggle with anxiety is not a secret. The actor, who is the son of famous parents Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson, has been open about his anxiety attacks, withdrawals from medication, and how it has affected his life all these years. Nonetheless, with the support and love from his family and friends, Hudson has been able to power through it all.
Oliver Hudson shares two sons, Wilder and Bodhi, and a daughter Rio with his wife Erinn Bartlett.
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