Ryan Reynolds Opens Up About Managing Mental Health Struggles
In a heartfelt revelation, Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds has shared his personal journey of managing mental health, shedding light on the challenges he faces and the coping strategies he employs. At the 11th Annual Revels & Revelations Gala for Bring Change to Mind, a mental health nonprofit founded by actress Glenn Close, Ryan spoke candidly about his experiences.
“Not always great, to be honest,” Reynolds confessed when asked about how he manages his mental health. “I certainly have my own little rituals and those kinds of things that help me stay grounded and keep my mind from spinning out of control.”
The 46-year-old actor emphasized that his path to mental well-being is not always smooth. “Sometimes I’m really good at it, sometimes I’m not,” he added, underscoring the ups and downs that many individuals face in their mental health journeys.
To regain equilibrium, Ryan turns to meditation as a way to allocate essential time for self-reflection and self-care. “I tend to overbook myself when I’m spiraling that way,” he explained, acknowledging the importance of self-awareness in managing his anxiety. “I’m sort of aware of that stuff, and I manage it as well as you can.”
Despite his public image as a confident and outgoing personality, the Self/less actor has grappled with anxiety since childhood.
“I’ve had anxiety my whole life really. And you know, I feel like I have two parts of my personality, that one takes over when that happens,” he shared with CBS. The actor disclosed that the persona he projects on screen is often a departure from his true self.
Ryan further described his pre-performance nerves, saying, “When I would go out on, like, Letterman, back in the day, I was nervous. But as soon as that curtain opens — and this happens in my work a lot too — it’s like this little guy takes over. And he’s like, ‘I got this. You’re cool.’ I feel, like, my heart rate drop, and my breathing calm, and I just sort of go out and I’m this different person.”
Ryan first publicly discussed his anxiety in May 2021, inspired by his family—wife Blake Lively and their four children. He recognized the importance of modeling emotional vulnerability for his kids.
“Part of it is that I have three daughters at home, and part of my job as a parent is to model behaviors and model what it’s like to be sad and model what it’s like to be anxious, or angry. That there’s space for all these things,” he remarked, highlighting the generational shift in attitudes toward mental health. “Part of that is to destigmatize things and create a conversation around [mental health].”
Reynolds believes in the power of open dialogue about mental health, emphasizing its capacity to free individuals from the isolation of their struggles. “I know that when I felt at the absolute bottom, it’s usually been because I felt like I was alone in something I was feeling. So I think when people talk about it, I don’t necessarily dwell on it or lament on it, but I think it’s important to talk about it. And when you talk about it, it kind of sets other people free.”
