- In 2018, Carson Daly revealed his generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to the world.
- Daly talks about the panic attacks he experienced during his time as host of NBC’s “The Voice.”
- “Mind Matters,” Daly’s “Today” summer show series, aims to normalize these conversations.
Whether you are hosting “The voice” or the program “Today”, carson daly he appears calm and collected in his high-pressure, high-profile career. But “things are not what they seem, and people need to know that it’s okay,” he says.
In reality, the 48-year-old television personality has suffered from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic attacks for much of his life. Since his childhood, he has considered himself a “worry wart” after losing his father at age 5 and experiencing numerous panic attacks which started during his “Total Request Live” Days.
“You may know me from MTV or as a celebrity from whatever you think of me. You may think my life is perfect. I have kids. I always look happy on TV or when you see me on ‘The Voice’. But that’s not how it works. It’s not like that,” Daly says.
“On ‘The Voice,’ when I’m live on Monday nights, most of the time, my right hand is in my right pocket, and I’m literally grabbing the meat of my thigh because I’m waiting for a high.” -panic moment to pass.”
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Daly first spoke about his mental health in a vulnerable live discussion in 2018, during which he talked about coping with cognitive behavioral therapy.
He says these moments of panic and hyperventilation still come and go; However, he is in a “much better place” since he spoke out.
“Once you realize that other people have (GAD), that it’s something really diagnosable and that there’s a whole psychology and physiology behind it, you have a context, and I think that learning about all that, talking about it, exploring it ends to tear the veil,” he says, adding that “he’s just on a really good personal path.
Although much progress has been made in destigmatize the conversation about mental health, Daly says there is still a long way to go. That is why he hopes to humanize the subject with “Mental Matters” — a series of summer “Today” shows dedicated to sharing powerful mental health stories from everyday people. Beginning Tuesday, segments of the show will begin airing and a “Mind Matters” special will be available to stream on “Today all day” Wednesday.
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According to Daly, who spoke with a young TikTok star, families of students who have committed suicide and others, the series is an “inspiring” opportunity to normalize a once taboo subject.
“I randomly shared my story one day and now this area of mental health has become my place on NBC News and within the show and creating ‘Mind Matters’ to find other stories from people like me, whether famous or not.” “, He says.
“It’s just inspiring. I’ve never had a problem with clinical depression…but when I do ‘Mind Matters,’ I get to talk to people who struggle differently than I do with suicidal ideation or depression, and I’m such admiration for the bravery of the people.
Daly hopes this conversation about mental health will also highlight the impact on underserved communities.
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“In some respects, we have a long way to go with stigma, certainly with professional athletes … and I try to do a lot to shine a light on communities of color because access to mental health care (in these communities ) is just horrible. And there’s already a stigma that’s worse than their white counterparts,” says Daly.
“But I think in general the conversations happen much more frequently. You certainly hear about mental health in music and pop culture and from celebrities that are on the rise…and they’re willing to talk about it. So I definitely think it’s ‘going in the right direction’.
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