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Ryan Phillippe Opens Up About His Struggle With Depression: ‘We Can Help Each Other Cope’

Ryan Phillippe arrives at TV Guide Magazine and USA Network Celebrate 'Shooter' at Sofitel Hotel on November 2, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.
Ryan Phillippe arrives at TV Guide Magazine and USA Network Celebrate 'Shooter' at Sofitel Hotel on November 2, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.Jerod Harris/WireImage

He’s baring his soul. Ryan Phillippe spoke candidly about his struggle with depression in a interview featured in the September 2017 issue of Women’s Health.

Related: Stars Who’ve Battled Mental Health Issues

The 42-year-old actor, who’s currently starring in the horror film Wish Upon, believes depression and mood disorders are an individual experience and should not be treated by a one-size-fits-all approach.

“I think people fear being stigmatized or treated in a blanket fashion,” the actor told the mag, “which is sometimes the response to someone who says, ‘I struggle with depression.’ But really, depression could manifest in a thousand different ways depending on who it is.”

He added: “I don’t think there’s any reason not to talk about it. We can help each other cope and give tools that we learn along the way.”

Related: Celebrity Health Scares

To help manage his depression, the Cruel Intentions alum admits he’s investing more time into his physical and mental health.

“I talk to myself quite often,” he told the mag. “I’m constantly talking things through in my head. I took a trip to Thailand, and I had such an amazing experience. Since then, I’ve been reading a ton of Eastern philosophy about giving up some of the superficial things we’re attached to, which I’m trying to do. I also have issues with patience and depression, and I’m thinking about how to focus and steady myself and be kinder and better. Meditation and exercise work for me.”

Phillippe who is the father of three children — Ava and Deacon Phillippe (whom he shares with Reese Witherspoon, his partner from 1999 to 2007) and Kai Knapp (whom he shares with ex Alexis Knapp) — admits that very little in this world frightens him, but the responsibilities of fatherhood weigh heavily on his mind.

“The world is chaotic and unpredictable, and there’s so much random violence out there. And when you have (teenage kids), there are things you worry about when they’re going out. Those would be my fears,” the Lincoln Lawyer actor said.

Related: Celebrity Dads Bond With Their Kids: Adorable Pictures

On a lighter note, the hunk, who told the mag he prefers to sleep in the buff, touched on his love life — explaining that he’s not a fan of PDA.

“It probably has something to do with the fact that since I was in my early twenties, I’ve had people watching me wherever I go. So I’ve become accustomed to behaving a certain way in public,” he admitted.

As for the type of women he’s attracted to, the Delaware native said: “I think we respond to things that are unfamiliar in the romantic sense. I mean, I’m not a love doctor, I’m just saying there’s a reason for it.” 

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