By: Jeanette H.
One of Helena Jauregui’s most meaningful projects to date is the PSA The Loop, a short but powerful film raising awareness about anxiety. Filmed in April, Helena took on the lead role, portraying a young woman who experiences a severe panic attack in real time. The story follows her character through the spiraling thoughts, physical symptoms, and emotional isolation that so many people with anxiety endure.
For Helena, this role carried deep personal significance. She has lived with anxiety since the age of nine, making the narrative especially close to her heart. “Anxiety has been a lifelong challenge for me, so this project felt personal from the very beginning,” Helena shares. “I had to channel those emotions without actually allowing myself to feel panic in the moment. It was about remembering, connecting, and translating that truth into my performance.”
Preparing for the role required more than just learning lines. Helena spent time reflecting on her own experiences with anxiety, writing down moments from her childhood and adolescence when she had felt completely overwhelmed. She also spoke with friends and peers who live with anxiety to make sure her portrayal was nuanced and representative. “I wanted to get it right,” she says. “So many people go through this silently, and I felt a responsibility to make sure this character felt authentic.”
Her dedication paid off. Helena’s performance was so visceral and truthful that it left a lasting impression on everyone on set. Crew members and fellow actors approached her after filming to tell her how powerful her work had been. Several even admitted they could feel the anxiety she was portraying, describing it as deeply moving and almost unsettling in its realism.
For Helena, this reaction confirmed the impact of her work. “Hearing people say they felt what my character was feeling meant so much to me,” she says. “That’s exactly why I act, to make people feel something real. If it made someone stop and think about what anxiety really feels like, then we did what we set out to do.”
The PSA’s director has echoed those sentiments, crediting Helena with elevating the entire project. “Helena brought a rare vulnerability to the screen,” they said in a post-release statement. “She gave the audience permission to feel uncomfortable, which is exactly what anxiety does in real life. That honesty is what makes The Loop so powerful.”
Beyond its artistic achievement, The Loop also holds special meaning for Helena because of its purpose. The film is currently being shared by mental health organizations and schools as part of anxiety-awareness campaigns. Helena hopes that it will continue to reach people who may feel misunderstood or alone. “This role allowed me to use my craft to bring awareness to something I know firsthand,” she reflects. “If even one person feels seen or understood because of this PSA, then I did my job as an actress.”
Helena also hopes that projects like The Loop will encourage more conversations about mental health in the entertainment industry. “We need to tell these stories,” she says. “When people see honest portrayals of mental health on screen, it chips away at stigma and helps them feel less alone.”
For Helena, The Loop remains a career milestone, not because of its size or scale, but because of its heart. “Some roles stay with you forever,” she says with a smile. “This is one of them. She explains that the project became a turning point in how she thinks about her work. It reminded her that acting is not only about entertaining, but also about connecting, educating, and healing. “This role taught me that film can be a mirror, it can reflect someone’s deepest fears and make them feel less alone. That’s the kind of work I want to keep doing,” Helena adds.
