Dwayne Johnson has been a professional wrestler and football player, but that doesn't stop him from revealing his struggles with mental health.
For most of us, our parents are the ones who protected and raised us, but sometimes, children have to grow up before their time. It's hard to be the responsible one when you should be the one being taken care of. Sometimes, that leads to struggles with mental health, like depression. It's not possible to tell if someone has depression from meeting them unlike physical problems, which is why it can go undiagnosed. Mental health struggles are still stigmatized even though they are common.
Even famous stars like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson have battled depression and live with it. "We all go through the sludge/shit and depression never discriminates. Took me a long time to realize it but the key is to not be afraid to open up. Especially us dudes have a tendency to keep it in. You’re not alone," Johnson, 49, said in a Tweet in 2018.
Thank you!! Wish more celebrities would advocate for such a great cause. Mental health is a huge issue! Alot of men will treat mental health like a contiguous diease.
— Tara S Bostick (@TaraSBostick1) April 2, 2018
The big guy, who has been a professional wrestler, and former American football and Canadian football player, didn't shy away from revealing his struggles, which make him just like us. He revealed that he had depression after watching his mom, Ata Johnson, 72, attempt suicide when he was only 15. He managed to save her life, and she is still an important part of his life.
"I reached a point where I didn’t want to do a thing or go anywhere," the Fast & Furious star said. "I was crying constantly," he added, as per The Guardian. He was deeply affected after seeing his mom walk into oncoming traffic on Interstate 65 in Nashville soon after they were evicted from their apartment. The Jumanji actor said that he pulled her away and saved her but struggled with depression for many years after witnessing this traumatic moment.
"Big rigs and cars were swerving out the way. I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road," he wrote, describing the event, on Instagram. He also added that his mom was so distraught that she doesn't remember this incident. "She has no recollection of it whatsoever," he admitted. "Probably best she doesn't."
Other factors that contributed to his mental health struggles were injuries that paused his would-be football career and a break-up with a girlfriend. It took many years but his mom and he healed. "But we’ve always got to do our best to pay attention when other people are in pain," he added. "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," he said.
Even though he faced many hurdles in life, he made sure to not give up on his dream. If one plan didn't work out, he pivoted to adopt a new dream. He went on to become a pro wrestler and was a hit in that role. Then, he switched to acting and now is a producer and one of the highest-paid actors. He didn't let depression get the best of him, because that's not what defines him.
Johnson is not just an entertainer but also a devoted father of three daughters. He shares lovely photos and videos of him and his children on Instagram. He recently revealed that when he was a child he had "soft features" and "really soft Afro hair," which lead to people asking him if he was "a boy or a girl," writes Daily Mail. His dad, Rocky Johnson, was a wrestler as well, and because of that they often moved around. The 49-year-old had to change schools often because of that.
He might be ready to embrace a new role now. The Baywatch actor revealed that he would be interested in running for the position of President if people "want to see it happen."
"I have a goal and an ambition and an interest to unite our country. If this is what the people want, then I will do that," he added.
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Cover image source: Getty Images | Photo by Jon Kopaloff
