In a recent sit down with Men's Health, Zac Efron unveiled some pretty personal tea - giving us more of an insight into his mental health struggles. Efron told the outlet he has been struggling with agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder that disables a person from going into crowded spaces or even, at times, leaving the house. Although the actor didn't reveal too much regarding his fears, it is something that other stars, such as Donny Osmond, have spoken out about it in the past. Here's what he said.
The High School Musical star became one of the world's most loved actors at such a young age when the musical saga began back in 2006. The actor's career skyrocketed from there - and he was only 19 at the time. With the success of High School Musical, Efron was cast as the token golden boy in every movie after that, from 17 Again to The Lucky One, Bad Neighbors, and of course, Baywatch. What we didn't know is that the star actually struggled a lot filming 2017's Baywatch, which eventually "burned" him out.
In addition to speaking out about his agoraphobia, Efron opened up to the publication about his time preparing for Baywatch, letting audiences know it was a difficult time in his life. Attaining the perfect Baywatch body was a job on its own and meant the actor barely could get enough sleep, would overtrain, and eat the same meal three times a day. "I started to develop insomnia, and I fell into a pretty bad depression for a long time. Something about that experience burned me out," Efron told Men's Health. "I had a really hard time recentering. Ultimately, they chalked it up to taking way too many diuretics for way too long, and it messed something up," he explained.
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During the interview, Efron also referenced the whole "Jaw-gate" incident of 2013, where he was publically scrutinized over plastic surgery rumors. Efron addressed the controversy once and for all, explaining he shattered his jaw after running in his house with socks on and falling, which then required physical therapy to recover. He assured he is unphased by the rumors, and if he was, he definitely "wouldn't be able to do this work." So, if you're a diehard Troy Bolton fan like us, make sure to check out the whole Men's Health article here.
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