“When you’re in the midst of a panic attack, the reason you’re calling someone is, one, because you’re scared. You want some sort of comfort,” says Kendall Jenner. “You might also want that distraction. And sometimes, as their supporter, you have to sit there and ride the wave with them.”
For the third installment of Open Minded, Jenner is joined by Dr. Curley Bonds, chief medical officer at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, who breaks down how to step up as an ally for a loved one who is experiencing a panic attack or seems regularly anxious. “First of all, we need to recognize that anxiety is really common,” says Dr. Bonds. “The way to help as an ally is then to first recognize when someone is having usual anxiety and when it moves into where it is problematic and it interferes with their ability to function.”
The two go over some of the most common physical symptoms to look out for—elevated heart rate or heart palpitations, shortness of breath, feeling light-headed—and the psychological ones that can be harder to pinpoint, such as overthinking. Dr. Bonds then explains that those who experience extreme anxiety might be inclined to isolate themselves as a way to avoid triggering situations. To help, he encourages allies to listen, as well as share their own experiences and coping strategies to normalize the medical condition. Says Dr. Bonds: “When you experience someone else’s anxiety through their eyes, [try] to put it through your lens, telling them, ‘Hey, I’ve had this and it will get better.’”
Watch episode three of Open Minded above.
Directed by: Posy Dixon
DP: Kevin Hayden
Camera operators: Yuya Kudo, Zachary Rockwood, and Sonja Tsypin
Key grip/gaffer: Kurtis Myers
Sound: Chris Omae
Edited by: Victoria Mortati and Daniel Poler
Color: Carlos Flores, Forager
Sound: Paul Vitolins and Nick Cipriano, Bang
Postproduction: Marco Glinbizzi
Series title montage: Chris Beckman
Title design: Jason Duzansky
Visual and audio design: Natalia Stuyk
Art director/set design: Alexis Johnson
Decorator: Christine DiStefano
Styling: Danielle Levi
Hair: Amanda Capomaccio
Makeup: Mary Phillips
Tailor: Bebe Aguirre
Executive producer: Marina Cukeric
Producers: Naomi Nishi, New York, and Jace Davis, Los Angeles
Line producers: Jen Santos and Jessica Schier
Production manager: Trina DeMattei
Location manager: Joe Burk
Production coordinators: Peter Brunette and Andressa Pelachi
Associate producers: Rachel Cantor, Stephanie D’agostini, and Arielle Neblett
Production assistant: Josh Crowe
COVID-19 supervisor: Carla Nora
Vogue: Robert Semmer, VP digital video programming and development; Mark Guiducci, creative editorial director; Sergio Kletnoy, entertainment director
Special thanks to:
Derek Blasberg
Maya Amolis
Dr. Ramani Durvasula
Ashleah Gonzales
Christy Welder
Jessica Edwards
Barb Solish
Katrina Gay
Dr. Ken Duckworth
YouTube Health
Medcircle
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
