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Mark Duplass has struggled with depression and anxiety since he was a teenager
The Morning Show star said that in addition to therapy and medication, making a number of lifestyle changes helped get his mental health on track
He is now becoming a mental health advocate, telling others that they’re not alone and reassuring them that they will get to the other side

When Mark Duplass opened up about his mental health on social media in 2023, he didn’t expect it to drive such an important conversation.

“I have been struggling with anxiety and depression for most of my life,” he wrote in the post. “Sometimes it’s just a subtle feeling that something deep inside is wrong. Sometimes it’s a little stronger, and it affects my ability to function properly. And sometimes it comes barging through my front door and pins me to the ground for an unknown and seemingly insurmountable amount of time.”

On Wednesday, June 18, the actor spoke to ABC News’ Whit Johnson on Good Morning America about his longtime struggle with depression and anxiety and becoming a mental health advocate.

“It’s funny, I didn’t really see it as something super personal,” he recalled of the Instagram post. “And I thought, you know, I’ll just share this feeling I had. And it was really the response that people had, particularly a lot of men, that made me realize [that] men’s mental health in particular might not [have] been as destigmatized as I thought it was.”

Duplass, 48, says his mental health struggles began when he was a teenager dealing with panic attacks. He tried to push through them alone, which led to a breaking point.

“I had no skills with which to deal with it,” he told GMA. “And I really did — I thought this might be it for me. I might never be normal again.”

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Mark Duplass.Simon Ackerman/WireImage

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The Morning Show star eventually started therapy and taking medication. But what really helped him get a grasp on his mental health was making lifestyle changes, in addition to his clinical treatment.

“I learned that I got to get out of bed in the morning,” he said. “I need to make sure I’m sleeping eight to nine hours a night. I need to make sure I’m getting really good exercise. I need to make sure I’m eating healthy, and for me, and this isn’t the same for everyone, I needed to demystify the medication.”

Although Duplass was initially concerned that his mental health challenges would impact his career, it turned out to be beneficial to let others know what he was going through.

“The last thing I would want is someone who’s considering hiring me for a job to think, like, ‘Oh man, what happens if he shows up and he’s really depressed or anxious one day?’ ” he explained. “There is no shame in this. I was so scared to tell people what I was dealing with, and once I did, it deepened all of my relationships and helped my professional career, and that’s something I didn’t anticipate.”


Mark Duplass.Stefanie Keenan/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

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Duplass then shared a message to anyone struggling with their mental health: “It’s gonna be OK.”

“In season 2 [of The Morning Show], I was having some mental health issues, and I said, ‘Look, I’m struggling with a little bit of this.’ And they were so wonderful and so accommodating,” he recalled.

He reassured others facing mental health challenges: “You’re probably feeling like, ‘There’s no way I’m ever going to be normal again. My life is ruined.’ But that fog is a lie. It’s not real. And you will rise above the fog, and it will lift.”

Included in his 2023 Instagram post was a photo of him in a tuxedo, smiling into the camera.

“When I see pictures of myself like this one, I can see the fear and sadness behind the smile,” he said at the time. “Even at my most ‘happy’ times. But at times like these, when the world is so deeply terrifying and saddening, it’s a struggle just to stay on my feet and keep from crashing.”

Duplass ended his post by letting his followers know that they’re not alone if they’re going through something similar.

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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