Male celebs who have spoken out about their mental health issues

Men’s mental health issues are at the forefront of a new generation. From guys speaking up more about their feelings and internal struggles, to awareness about some of these issues finally getting funding to help guys overcome their inner demons like depression, it’s a new day for men to speak up.

The problem, of course, is that some guys still feel defeated if they open their mouth about some of the mental health issues that plague them. In some guys’ eyes, it’s shown as a weakness to voice problems, as a lot of us were raised to keep those types of things to ourselves.

For those who might be struggling with some of these common mental health issues, know that a) you can speak up, b) there’s help out there, and c) you’re not alone. How common are men’s mental health issues? So common that some of the world’s best-known celebrities have talked about some of the problems they’ve dealt with over the years.

From macho men like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to a charmer like Ryan Reynolds, plenty of A-listers have tried to break down the outdated perception that it’s uncool to talk about your feelings. And, because we think it’s important to unify in something like this, here are a few other male celebs who have spoken out about their own mental health issues.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

On the exterior, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is strong, intimidating and powerful. But, deep down, he’s just battling a lot of the same men’s mental health issues that you and I are.

We know that because The Rock has been one of the leading advocates for mental health awareness, with the actor and wrestler not only talking in the media about some of his problems, but also posting reminders on his Instagram account for fans to see, too. Here’s an example of one that Johnson once posted.

Not your typical scene on our comedy #ballers, as I cracked a beer open toasting my character’s brother, William who committed suicide.
Got me thinkin’ though bout how many of us have been affected by suicide of our friends, family. Struggle and pain is real. We’ve all been there on some level or another.
My mom tried to check out when I was 15. She got outta the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic. Big rigs and cars swerving outta the way not to hit her. I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road.
What’s crazy about that suicide attempt is to this day, she has no recollection of it whatsoever. Probably best she doesn’t.
Shits of a scene to shoot – didn’t like it – but it did reminder that we always gotta do our best to really pay attention when people are in pain. Help ‘em thru it, get ‘em talkin’ about the struggle and remind ‘em that they’re not alone.
We got lucky that day when I was 15 and that ain’t always the case.

Detailing a moment in his life when he had to save his mom from committing suicide while also opening up about his own struggles, Dwayne Johnson is as strong for talking about his issues as he seems when in the weight room.

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is the most decorated and celebrate Olympian in history, as his domination in the pool led to more gold medals than any other athlete. But, just because he was on top of the world in his sport doesn’t mean that he was immune to men’s mental health issues.

Talking to Today, here’s what Phelps had to say about his experience with depression.

“After years, and years, and years of just shoving every negative, bad feeling down to the point where I mean, I just didn’t even feel it anymore,” he told Today last year. “It was a long, long, long road and I just never wanted to deal with it. And for me, that sent me down a spiral staircase real quick and like I said, I found myself in a spot where I didn’t want to be alive anymore.”

It’s pretty incredible that a guy who, seemingly, has everything, was in such a rut. But, as we know, mental health issues chooses anyone it wants to.

Ryan Reynolds

He’s one of the most famous leading men in Hollywood, is married to Blake Lively and always seems to be happy, but actor Ryan Reynolds has had to battle anxiety in his own mind for years, and he made sure to share some of his stories about men’s mental health issues to bring awareness to other guys.

“I have anxiety, I’ve always had anxiety,” Reynolds said. “Both in the lighthearted ‘I’m anxious about this’ kind of thing, and I’ve been to the depths of the darker end of the spectrum, which is not fun.”

Although Reynolds didn’t go into great detail about some of the “depths of the darker end of the spectrum” that’s referenced in his New York Times article about the topic, the fact that he’s speaking up should serve as inspiration for other guys to do the same.

Kevin Love

He’s tall, he’s handsome and he’s successful. But there’s more than meets the eye with Cleveland Cavs forward Kevin Love — because he has had to cope with men’s mental health issues for a long time.

Love opened up to The Players’ Tribune last year to detail some of his episodes, which has thrust him into the spotlight of the men’s mental health movement.

“No matter what our circumstances, we’re all carrying around things that hurt — and they can hurt us if we keep them buried inside,” he wrote. “Not talking about our inner lives robs us of really getting to know ourselves and robs us of the chance to reach out to others in need.”

Kevin Love may be dating a supermodel, but he’s still dealing with mental health issues like you or I are.

Pete Wentz

Best-known for being the lead singer of the rock group Fall Out Boy, Pete Wentz opened up about his bipolar disorder and how, at some point, he reached a moment to seek help rather than try to deal with his problems solo.

“My best piece of advice, more than anything, is that there’s other people out there that feel [suicidal], or are feeling that right at that time,” he said. “Maybe your favorite actor, or a guy in a band, or whoever, there are people who feel that exact same thing and have made it through that. I would say more than anything, you’re not alone in it.”

Reminding men that mental health issues don’t need to be a battle fought alone, Wentz’s words should serve as inspiration for anyone dealing with something bad in their own head.

Prince Harry

Prince Harry might literally be royalty, but, following the death of his mother when he was younger, Princess Diana, he finally opened up about how it impacted him after years of holding it in.

“Because of the process I have been through over the past two and a half years, I’ve now been able to take my work seriously, been able to take my private life seriously as well, and been able to put blood, sweat and tears into the things that really make a difference and things that I think will make a difference to everybody else,” he told The Telegraph.

When forced to stare a tragedy in the face, Prince Harry finally decided to stop repressing his anger and seek help, which is really cool to see.