Ryan Reynolds Comes Clean to Fans, Reveals Heart Wrenching Battle With Depression
Everyone feels sad or dejected at times. These are normal human emotions, and expressing them can be beneficial.
But transient gloom and sorrow aren’t in the same category as depression or chronic anxiety. These persistent conditions can range from disabling, to utterly incapacitating, to life-endangering.
If you’ve ever struggled with depression or anxiety yourself, you may feel isolated, ashamed, or misunderstood. But the fact is, you’re not alone in the slightest.
According to the World Health Organization, well over 300 million people struggle with some form of depression worldwide. Its many guises affect people of all ages, genders, occupations, and income levels.
One of those people, it turns out, is highly-esteemed celebrity Ryan Reynolds. And recently, he began bravely discussing his experiences, so others in the same situation will realize they’re in very good company.
It might be tough to believe that a beloved Hollywood A-lister like Reynolds could have a care in the world. He’s talented, handsome, charming, fit, outrageously funny, married to the stunning Blake Lively, and a doting dad to adorable daughters James and Inez.
But perhaps that’s precisely the point. There shouldn’t be a stigma surrounding the issue of depression or anxiety, because it goes well beyond simple outward appearance or life circumstance.
Reynolds told GQ magazine that as the youngest of four boys, he was “a really nervous kid” and “extremely sensitive.” He also mentioned that he channeled this vulnerability into school productions, which eventually led to his incredibly successful acting career.
He told Mr. Porter magazine that some of these struggles may have stemmed from a challenging childhood relationship with his late father. “Growing up in my house, it was never relaxing or easy,” he recalled. “Throughout my life, I’ve dealt with anxiety in different ways.”
These days, the 41-year-old superstar admits, he exercises daily to help keep himself more energized and upbeat. He’s admitted that otherwise, he can begin to feel “a little bummed.”
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Reynolds also shared another effective coping strategy — one that many fans may not have even noticed. He said that he actually conducts various interviews as his wise-cracking, superhero alter-ego, Deadpool.
Audiences everywhere are applauding Reynold’s honesty and courage in describing his long-standing struggles with anxiety.
“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” he recently told NME.com, but encouragingly noted that when properly managed and treated, the condition can also serve as “a great fuel.”
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