Jared Padalecki recalls checking into a clinic in 2015 due to 'dramatic' suicidal ideation
Jared Padalecki is opening up about his mental health.
The "Supernatural" star, 41, shared on the "I've Never Said This Before" podcast Tuesday that he went to a clinic in 2015 during a "really low moment" when he was battling suicidal ideation.
"I was letting my thoughts take over and going to a place of dramatic suicidal ideation," he said. "Called my wife and she said, 'Get home.' Got home, went to a clinic for a couple of weeks and looked into it, and I haven't been suicidal since. Not for a moment."
The actor, who noted he is "proudly open" about his mental health, explained he needed a "full reset" after years working in an industry where he was encouraged to always be upbeat, not honest about his feelings.
"I don't wear it as a scarlet letter," he added. "It's not like I'm shameful, 'Hey, I see a therapist, I've been to a clinic.' I wear it proudly. I put it on my face and tell everybody. If you're not in the situation where you need that degree of help, then don't seek it, but I needed a surgeon. Not literally, but I needed it, and here I am."
Padalecki said he still experiences "highs and lows" and shared "today's a low," adding that he has "a lot of sadness" following the cancellation of his CW show "Walker."
But he said he knows he'll "be fine" because he talks with people around him about how he's feeling, and he takes comfort in knowing that any feeling he is experiencing will soon change.
Jared Padalecki ropes a 'very human' new role in 'Walker'
"Please be open," Padalecki told listeners. "Please share. Please find somebody, whether it's a friend or a professional, and speak. Speak your truth."
The "Gilmore Girls" star urged fans to take care of their mental health even if they're "doing great," comparing this to using a nutritionist or personal trainer to take care of physical health.
Padalecki appeared on the podcast with his wife, Genevieve Padalecki, who noted that therapy is important to both of them and that their children also see therapists.
In 2015, Padalecki launched a T-shirt campaign to benefit To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit that helps those struggling with depression, addiction and self-harm. The actor told Variety at the time that a doctor told him he was "clinically depressed" after he "broke down" in his trailer on the set of "Supernatural."
Jared Padalecki is 'on the mend' following car accident, thanks fans for 'outpouring of love'
"It kind of hit me like a sack of bricks," he said. "I mean, I was 25 years old. I had my own TV show. I had dogs that I loved and tons of friends and I was getting adoration from fans and I was happy with my work, but I couldn't figure out what it was; it doesn’t always make sense is my point. It's not just people who can't find a job, or can't fit in in society that struggle with depression sometimes."
After "Supernatural" ended in 2020 and "Walker" was canceled last month, Padalecki noted on the podcast that he is currently "jobless" for the first time in 24 years.
"So, it's seemingly a disaster," he said. "(But) it'll change. And so there are highs and lows."
If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jared Padalecki went to clinic due to suicidal ideation in 2015
