generic David Mann Opens Up About His Mental Health Struggles And Getting Help: 'It's Like I Was Drowning'
David Mann is getting candid about his mental health and struggles over the years.
Known by many as Mr. Brown — the hilarious, crazy-dressed character made popular by Tyler Perry. Mann has delivered countless laughs over the years and has been a light many have needed in their time of darkness.
But like many people today, Mann has struggled with his mental health behind closed doors and recently opened up about this while appearing on The Tamron Hall Show.
David Mann shared when he realized he was struggling with mental health.
During his appearance on The Tamron Hall Show, Mann shared when he noticed he was struggling with his mental health.
“I just know one day I realized I don’t feel right and something is off,” he said. “And the only way that I could find relief was I would go into my office and just go to sleep. And that’s the only time I just could feel good.”
The actor decided to see help despite the stigma surrounding mental health.
“It’s like I was drowning, but no one knew I was drowning. The only way people were going to realize that I was…it’s touchy for me because I haven’t shared it with anybody,” Mann explained. “I said, the only way people were going to realize that I was drowning, is if I completely drowned. And I can’t say anything to anybody because I gotta make sure you’re fixed. I gotta make sure you’re good. I gotta make sure everybody’s good.”
He continued, “And it just hit me and I was like ‘I need to see a therapist.’ But then I know the stigma for our neighborhood, you know – ‘You don’t need to go to no therapist. You ain’t going up there and telling nobody your business.’ He added, “And I prayed, and I prayed and when I got up I still felt miserable. Like I describe it, I say, if I was having a heart attack, they would’ve taken me to a heart doctor. If I had liver problems…I say so now I’m having some mental health issues, I need to seek professional help.”
Mann says he was embarrassed to open up publicly about about his depression but quickly realized that his story helped other people.
“Because of the stigma that we have on it as Black men, as a community. And quite honestly, I was embarrassed. I was embarrassed, I was ashamed because, you know, I’m David Mann and I make the world laugh,” he shared. “But once I started to see how much I could help people with my story of depression, because that is something that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”
