Colton opens up about depression and anxiety
Colton Haynes, the out gay actor who has been completely open about some of his mental health challenges, took to Instagram for World Mental Health Day to reveal a recent happening.
Specifically, he shared a selfie of himself trying to force a smile even though it was clear he was visibly upset. Using the #WorldMentalHealthDay hashtag, Haynes said:
“This is a photo I took of myself about a month ago when I had reached a point where I had no idea what to do. I had been in bed crying/paralyzed for 3 wks with no explanation. My personal life & career were at an all-time high.
‘I’ve talked about this before but I can’t stress enough how important it is to seek help when your feeling down or in your darkest moments.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaFPyu6Dty2/
He continued:
“Let’s all take a second to reach out to those in need. I’ve struggled with Anxiety & Depression since I was in the 5th grade & it’s not something that should go untreated or uncared for.”
“I know a lot of people don’t understand mental illness & pass it off as ppl being dramatic…but it’s a chemical Imbalance that no one wants to struggle through. It’s not easy.”
Finally, he added:
“Let’s all take a second to reach out to those in need of help & those who just need someone to talk to or some encouragement. A little love goes a long way. My heart is with my fellow survivors & ppl struggling through this disease…you aren’t alone.”
World Mental Health Day occurred on October 10. This is a moment in time set aside each year for mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. It was first celebrated in 1992 with its beginnings in Australia.
The clinical research tells us that gay men are twice as likely to suffer from mood related issues when compared to heterosexual males (see post on depression and exercise).
GPB encourages readers to seek out help for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues from a professional, preferably a LGBT therapist who is aware of special issues impacting our community.
If you are concerned that you may hurt yourself, please call 800-273-TALK, or for international readers (choose your country from the drop-down list).
