The Birdman star reveals her terrifying anxious moments began at a friend's house and spiralled out of control for over three years.

She tells WSJ Magazine, "It was really bad. The first time I had a panic attack I was sitting in my friend’s house, and I thought the house was burning down. I called my mom and she brought me home, and for the next three years it just would not stop.

"I would go to the nurse at lunch most days and just wring my hands. I would ask my mom to tell me exactly how the day was going to be, then ask again 30 seconds later. I just needed to know that no one was going to die and nothing was going to change."

Stone reveals acting helped her conquer her worst fears because learning lines helped her focus on something other than her anxieties.

She adds, "There’s something about the immediacy of acting. You can’t afford to think about a million other things. You have to think about the task at hand. Acting forces me to sort of be like a Zen master: 'What is happening right in this moment?'"