Lifestyle Health Celebrity Health Taraji P. Henson Says She Embarked on a Trip to Bali After Losing a 'Sense of Joy' The Empire alum got candid about the reason behind her recent trip on the daytime talk show Sherri Thursday By Ingrid Vasquez Ingrid Vasquez Ingrid Vasquez is a Digital News Writer at PEOPLE. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor in Journalism. Before joining the team, she worked as an Editor at FanSided and provided work in the celebrity and lifestyle space for brands that include Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, EW, and more. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 28, 2023 12:39AM EDT Photo: taraji p henson/Instagram Taraji P. Henson's recent trip to Bali came out of necessity. "I wasn't happy anymore. I lost a sense of joy," expressed the Empire alum while recounting the trip during her recent appearance on Sherri. Taraji P. Henson's Improved Mental Health Has Led Her to 'Fight' for Herself — and Others: 'I Want to Live' "I've been doing this for 20-some odd years. Working, grinding, whatever you want to call it. And I come up for air, and I hit a brick wall," she expressed. taraji p henson/Instagram The 52-year-old actress took the trip at the top of the year and chronicled the getaway through various posts on Instagram. "If you let fear take over, it will let you believe in it. So I got past my fear, I went, [and] I did the whole trip dry. Eat, pray, love. Because going by myself made me stay present. I had to have conversations with these beautiful people I met, and we still stay in touch," she explained. Taraji P. Henson on Fighting the Stigma of Mental Health Issues: 'It's Okay Not to Be Okay' Henson first shared that she was going on the trip during an appearance on The Angie Martinez Show in December. taraji p henson/Instagram "I didn't know it was going to affect so many people," she explained to host Sherri Shepherd. "You know me. I'm just going to be me. And I was talking to my girlfriend. Apparently, a lot of people had been feeling like this. So, I decided to take control and find my joy again, that deep joy. Without a drink. Without that outside anything." During an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE in early April, she shared that recognizing her mental health struggles has only made her stronger. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "I fight for my mental health because I want to live. I'm choosing to want to live. I want to live," she explained. With that desire to fight, Henson has come to recognize the many things that have benefitted her mental health — and what has ultimately kept her going. "Being real with myself and not being so damn strong all the time," she shared. "Folding my arms like a kid in the corner saying, 'I don't want to be strong today. I need help.' 'I don't feel good.' 'No, I'm not going to do this job. I don't feel good today.' Speaking up for myself. And my mental wellness." Close