Ryan Reynolds Explained How His Kids Inspired Him To Talk About His "Lifelong" Battle With Anxiety

    "When you talk about it, it kind of sets other people free."

    Joyann Jeffrey
    by Joyann Jeffrey

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Thanks to Ryan Reynolds’ three daughters, the actor has become more open about his mental health.

    Last month, Reynolds talked about his “lifelong” battle with anxiety on Instagram, and in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, he said it was his girls who inspired him to make that relatable post.

    "Part of it is that I have three daughters at home,” he explained. “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.”

    Reynolds shares his three kids with wife Blake Lively.

    “The home that I grew in, that wasn't modeled for me really,” Reynolds continued. “And that's not to say that my parents were neglectful, but they come from a different generation."

    Reynolds explained that the way to end the stigma surrounding mental health is to “create a conversation” on the topic.

    "I know that when I felt at the absolute bottom, it's usually because I felt like I was alone in something I was feeling,” he said. “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."

    Reynolds is right. The more we talk about our struggles with mental health, the more we realize that we’re not in it alone.