Strength in unity. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shared his vulnerable side in an episode of Oprah’s Master Class that aired on Sunday, Nov. 15, opening up about his struggle with depression.
On Thursday, Nov. 19, the wrestler took to Twitter in reaction to the outpouring of support and encouragement that he received from fans.
“Thx fam,” he wrote. “Hardest thing sometimes (especially men) is asking for help. I wish I did. You’re never alone. Speak up.”
The Ballers star, best known for his testosterone-fueled roles in action flicks, revealed that one of the things that helped him the most during his low points was realizing that he wasn’t the only one battling the mental illness.
“I found that, with depression, one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone,” the 43-year-old WWE alum said in the video clip. “You’re not the first to go through it; you’re not going to be the last to go through it. And oftentimes — it happens — you just feel like you’re alone. You feel like it’s only you. You’re in your bubble. And I wish I had someone at that time who could just pull me aside and [say], ‘Hey, it’s gonna be okay. It’ll be okay.’ So, I wish I knew that.”
Johnson explained that he first struggled with depression after he was cut from his football team and had to live in his parents’ basement, calling it a “real low point” in his life.
But in retrospect, the actor admitted, that period helped him to figure out his career trajectory, letting go of his visions of football fame and instead pursuing wrestling. (His father was the famous wrestler Rocky Johnson.)
“Hold onto that fundamental quality of faith,” he said of trusting the hardships along with the triumphs. “Have faith that on the other side of your pain is something good. … It wound up being one of the greatest chapters in my life.”
