Yahoo News Reacher's Alan Ritchson opens up about suicide attempt and bipolar diagnosis
Note: The following article contains discussion of themes including suicide.
Reacher star Alan Ritchson has opened up about his suicide attempt prior to being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
In an in-depth interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he spoke about how the messy demise of a business he owned led to a decline in his mental health several years ago.
"It really broke me in that moment and it took me a while to recover. I was super depressed and didn't know how to navigate that," he said.
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"I was reeling from the fallout and the fatigue, and it got to the point where I was stuck in bed for weeks. My wife and kids were concerned, and I could see confusion in their eyes. No one knew what was wrong."
He explained that in 2019, after a difficult few months, he attempted to take his own life.
Ritchson shared what saved him was a vision from the future from his three sons. They convinced him not to take his own life and, as a result, he managed to end his attempt before he blacked out.
He said: "They calmly asked me not to do it and told me that they wanted me to be here, alive and part of their lives."
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After his suicide attempt, he immediately reached out to his doctor and was soon diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Though Ritchson explained it took him a while to accept this diagnosis — and he initially stormed out of the doctor’s office — he noted that it helped explained his feelings and periods of mania.
He said: "Deep down, I was comforted to know, ‘OK, there’s a name for this’, I walked back in his office and he didn’t miss a beat. I’m sure he’d had like 300 patients over the years do the exact same thing."
We encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Information about how to access support is available via the NHS, and organisations who can offer help include Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393.
Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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