Born on April 24th, 1942, Barbra Streisand was born into a difficult situation. Her father died when she was 15 months old, she described her mother as 'not being able to show love' and her stepfather disliked her. From that description, many people would expect that she would have become depressed, though she fought through her troubles. Her career involved acting, singing, directing and writing, just to name a few. She is an icon and a star, though she has not just contributed to the world through talent, but also through activism. She is an active civil rights activist, and recognised for her philanthropy. She was bold, confident and she had a real passion for performing and helping people. 

In 1967, at a concert in Central Park, New York, Barbra forgot the words to one of her songs. She is a perfectionist, so this effected her more than most popular artists. She did not have the ability to laugh it off, and it quickly consumed her. In an interview she said "I couldn't come out of it. ... It was shocking to me to forget the words." This not only reflects the single event that changed her career, but also her experience with Social Anxiety Disorder.

 S.A.D. became her monster. It limited her from being able to perform and do what she loved. It made her generally quite pessimistic about herself and what others thought of her. She has also said "You know, I can't remember my good reviews. I remember negative ones. They stay in my mind." In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2006, she revealed that she had taken anti-anxiety medication to try and get over her anxiety, and it helped a little bit. After a 27 year performance drought, Barbra Streisand took to the stage in Los Vegas around New Years Eve, 1994. Though she may never return to the performer she once was, she took a large step in the right direction. 

Barbra's main strategy and method to overcome her Social Anxiety Disorder was to talk to professionals and ease herself into it. She got therapy from Jerilyn Ross, the President and CEO of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, who gave her advice and assistance. By easing herself back into performing, Barbra became more confident and less anxious. Near the end of her struggle with S.A.D. she realised that to become confident about what she thought of herself to be confident in what others thought of her. She said to Vanity Fair "During my last tour, when I kicked off my shoes and said whatever I wanted, I actually enjoyed myself. Performing is not about perfection. I could never perform live if it were. For me, it's about raising the money to do good in the world. It's about self-acceptance. It's about believing that I am enough." She understood that the root of her anxiety was her need for others to see her as perfect, and that she needed to change that. 

Recently, Barbra starred in a movie with Seth Rogan entitled "The Guilt Trip", and you would not know that she once had a crippling Social Anxiety Disorder. Don't be afraid of making a safety net for yourself, as even today, she uses Teleprompters whenever she performs live as it makes her more confident. Even though Barbra Streisand has overcome most of her SA, she knows it will always be there, and she has learrnt to be alright with that.