American actor Jonah Hill will not be making any more public appearances after nearly 20 years of anxiety attacks

American actor Jonah Hill got candid with his fans and released a statement declaring that he will not longer be making any public appearances, including movie promotions. The 21 Jump Street actor talked about his struggle with anxiety attacks, which he has freely explored in his upcoming documentary Stutz, named after his therapist.

In a letter released to Deadline, Hill said he has finished directing his second film, a documentary about him and his therapist, which explores mental health in general. “The whole purpose of making this film is to give therapy and the tools I’ve learned in therapy to a wide audience for private use through an entertaining film,” he explained.

Calling it a “journey of self-discovery” he talked about why his aversion to public appearances is a protective measure. “I have come to the understanding that I have spent nearly 20 years experiencing anxiety attacks, which are exacerbated by media appearances and public facing events.

“I am so grateful that the film will make its world premiere at a prestigious film festival this fall, and I can’t wait to share it with audiences around the world in the hope that it will help those struggling. However, you won’t see me out there promoting this film, or any of my upcoming films, while I take this important step to protect myself. If I made myself sicker by going out there and promoting it, I wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film,” he said.

The Wolf of Wall Street actor acknowledged that he is privileged to be able to distance himself like this and won’t lose his job while working on his anxiety. “With this letter and with Stutz, I’m hoping to make it more normal for people to talk and act on this stuff. So they can take steps towards feeling better and so that the people in their lives might understand their issues more clearly.”

Hill hoped that his work will speak for itself and expressed gratitude for his collaborators, business partners and fans for their understanding and support.

The Superbad actor also recently deleted his Instagram account, though it is unclear whether it was before or after his statement addressing his mental health issues.