Ryan Reynolds, 41 –once named as the Sexiest Man Alive, the star of box-office hit franchise Deadpool, and husband to the beautiful Blake Lively– encounters mental health hardships in his life, despite having a triumphant career.

“I have anxiety, I’ve always had anxiety,” says Reynolds to The New York Times. Upon a film release, press junkets are presumed. Reynolds can become apprehensive as he prepares for talk-show appearances. He describes being overtaken by a nauseating sensation as he undergoes stress.

Reynolds joined Deadpool 2 as not only the star but also as a writer; therefore, the stakes became higher. The pressure increased his malaise. “When there’s built-in expectation,” he said, “your brain always processes that as danger.”

When there’s built-in expectation, your brain always processes that as danger.

He admits to self-medicating his agony by partying in his early 20’s. His relationship with his father strained his perspective on family dynamics. He referred to his father as the “stress dispensary.”

Although struggling with anxiety for most of his life, it wasn’t until he was faced with a nervous breakdown that he chose to seek professional help. “I went to go see a doctor because I felt like I was suffering from a neurological problem or something. And every doctor I saw said, ‘You have anxiety’.”

Reynolds acknowledges that certain aspects in his life, like his relationship with his late father, affected his outlook and his anxiety. However, he has chosen to relinquish those thoughts. “We’re all just hurtling through space in this green, spinning shit-wheel of devastation. At some point, you just kinda gotta live and let go,” he said to The New York Times.

To contact the writer, email Leslie Rivera at leslie@supportiv.com.