Alan Ritchson learned how to turn his bipolar diagnosis into a superpower.
The Reacher star, 41, told Men’s Health in an interview published on Tuesday, February 27, that his depressive states can sometimes go unnoticed. “It doesn’t really matter, because I am so focused at work,” he explained. “I could go weeks without people even knowing I feel a certain way.”
His manic episodes, however, manifest in a different way. “When I’m manic and I feel like something isn’t living up to its best potential, it usually comes out in a very — not in a mean way — but in a ‘this has to be better’ way,” he continued. “Like a very, almost obsessive ‘this has to be better.’”
Ritchson, who was diagnosed with bipolar when he was 36, described the disorder as “this thing like — ‘I gotta find a perfectly white pair of shoes that look like a tennis shoe but aren’t.’ Three days later, eight pairs of shoes show up that are all identical. And I’m like, ‘Oh, s—t, I’m manic right now.’”
Bipolar disorder is marked by “extreme mood swings,” including “emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression),” according to Mayo Clinic. The wide-ranging symptoms can affect energy, sleep, personal choices and thought patterns.
Ritchson’s highs and lows were evident while filming the first season of Reacher, which debuted in 2022. The stunt coordinator resigned after filming because he believed Ritchson was behaving too recklessly and not adhering to his instructions.
“I was like, ‘I’m doing the f—king stunt,’” he told Men’s Health, recalling his refusal to leave the set when the coordinator stepped in. “It was manic behavior.”
The actor has previously spoken about his mental health on his “InstaChurch” YouTube channel, hoping to inspire others to get help. In 2022, he reflected on the challenges of filming Reacher while navigating his ups and downs.
“I don’t want to complain, but it was the most challenging shoot I’ve ever had to endure and it just about killed me,” he confessed on the “Inside of You” podcast, reflecting on his grueling schedule and on-set injuries.
Ritchson recalled turning to an assistant who was familiar with his diagnosis and took note of any changes in his behavior. “[I said], ‘Help me pay attention,’ because it’s hard for me to see those changes in myself,” he explained. “And she’s like, ‘If you need to slow down, like, let’s just slow down at any time.’ Of course I never said I needed to.”
Along with his colleagues, Ritchson leans on his loved ones for support. He shares Calem, 11, Edan, 9, and Amory, 8, with wife Catherine Ritchson. The couple tied the knot in 2006.
“15 years ago today two kids got married,” Alan gushed in a May 2021 Instagram post while marking his and Catherine’s anniversary. “They had no idea what splendid and terrible things lie ahead of them when they made that vow to remain each other’s partner in life, come what may. Despite the precarious highs and the suffocating lows, they’re still holding hands.”
