Carson Daly Shares Heartfelt Message for World Mental Health Day: 'It's Ok to Not Be Ok'
Roy Rochlin/Getty Carson Daly
Carson Daly is hoping to break the stigmas surrounding mental health.
In honor of World Mental Health Day on Monday, the Today Show host, 47, shared a message on Instagram urging his followers to prioritize their mental wellbeing, referencing his own struggles with anxiety.
"On this #WorldMentalHealthDay I'm so grateful for those who make everyday a priority to help so many who suffer in silence. I was one of them," he wrote. "We need to treat our mental health like we do our physical health & break the stigmas. Everybody's dealing with something & it's ok to not be ok. You're not alone. You're worth more than you could ever know."
"Take a min today to simply reach out to someone who your gut tells you could use it," Daly continued. "Shout to my family @projecthealthyminds who are on the front lines. Go to their site for a quick & easy guide to get help. If you're in crisis text HOME to 741741."
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The television personality opened up to PEOPLE last year about his mental health journey. He said that he never planned to talk publicly about it.
But that changed when NBA player Kevin Love came on the Today show to share his story about having a panic attack during a basketball game. Daly realized he had had the exact same experience many years ago while hosting MTV's Total Request Live — and became inspired to open up about his own struggles.
"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," Daly told PEOPLE in March 2021. "After finally opening up to friends, one of them had a history of anxiety, and looked at me and was like, 'You have anxiety.'"
The father of four underwent a 14-week cognitive therapy course and began to educate himself about his mental illness, eventually learning how to manage it.
"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. 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," he said.
Daly hopes that by sharing his story, he can help others.
"It bothers me that anybody could feel that they're less than normal if they also have something about them that they're unsure about as it pertains to their mental health," he said.
If you or someone you know need mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
