Carson Daly Says He Thought He Was ‘Going to Die’ After First Panic Attack at ‘TRL’

The 'Today' co-host detailed how he thought he was having a "stroke" during the terrifying experience

Carson Daly is detailing his terrifying first experience of a panic attack.

The Today co-host, 50, shared how he thought he was “going to die” after suffering his first panic attack while hosting MTV’s teen talk show Total Request Live.

According to TODAY.com, Daly’s comments came as he gave a speech on World Mental Health Day on Tuesday at the inaugural gala for Project Healthy Minds.

"One September day, I thought I was going to die," Daly told the audience at the gala. “I was in my dressing room and I could sense all the normal live buzz of the show before it went on. I could hear the crowd outside. I could hear horns honking, normal Total Request chaos, very usual."

"Then something very unusual happened to me," he continued. "Out of nowhere in my dressing room, I felt what I can describe as a snap in my brain."

Related: Carson Daly Shares Heartfelt Message for World Mental Health Day: 'It's Ok to Not Be Ok'

Daly, who has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder according to TODAY.com, went on to share how his heart then “started to race” and “fear” coursed through his body.

“It was like somebody cracked one of those cold compresses at a Little League game and put it on my neck,” he said. “I could see my producer talking to me in the doorway, totally normal expression on his face, saying something about Hanson, probably. I couldn’t hear him. It looked like he was talking in slo-mo. I was literally leaving reality. I thought, my God, I’m having a stroke in front of Hanson. It passed in 30 seconds, but it felt like 30 minutes.”

Daly revealed that he managed to get through hosting the show on “autopilot,” but “beneath the surface, I was absolutely terrified that whatever had just happened to me, it could happen again at any moment.”

Related: Meghan Markle Told Carson Daly to 'Bring It In' for a Hug When He Was Unsure of 'Royal Rules'

Following the incident, Daly visited his doctor, who told him he’d suffered a panic attack caused by stress and anxiety.

Daly said he “needed to slow down,’ but despite trying to do this his panic attacks continued. Eventually — Daly explained during his speech at the gala, per TODAY.com — he ended up sharing his experience with a friend, which led to him starting therapy and learning about tools to manage his anxiety.

The father of four also opened up about his mental health journey during a March 2021 interview with PEOPLE and shared the relief he felt from getting a diagnosis.

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"I've suffered for over 20 years with, at times, debilitating anxiety and panic, and never knew it. I never knew how to define it," he said. "After finally opening up to friends, one of them had a history of anxiety, and looked at me and was like, 'You have anxiety.' "

"It felt so good to get that diagnosis, because for so long I would be driving in my car and start to get nervous and wonder if I should pull over,” Daly, who underwent a 14-week cognitive therapy course, added. “And now I know, 'Oh, this is happening, and wait 10 seconds and it will go away.' Being diagnosed and then talking about it just feels good.”

If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

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Read the original article on People.