Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson explains why it's important for men to talk about their problems

Trigger Warning: The following story contains mention of suicide that can prove to be distressing to readers. 

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is known as one of the toughest guys in Hollywood and he has never shied away from openly talking about his life in front of the cameras. The former professional wrestler has consistently displayed a candid approach when it comes to acknowledging his own strengths and weaknesses. In a recent revelation, the 51-year-old actor opened up about his battle with depression, emphasizing the importance for men to openly address their mental health challenges, per Good Morning America.

"I left school, but the interesting thing at the time is, I didn't know what mental health was. I didn't know what depression was. I just knew I didn't want to be there," Johnson told "The Pivot" hosts and former NFL stars Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor and Ryan Clark. He revealed that his mental health struggles began after his college football career, followed by a divorce from his first wife, Dany Garcia, in 2008. Luckily, it was during that time that Johnson found genuine people in his life that he could "lean on." He added, "I knew what it was at that time, and I had some friends I could lean on and say, 'Hey, I'm feeling a little wobbly now. I got a little struggle happening.'"

As reported by The Tennessean, Johnson previously admitted that his mother’s suicide attempt has severely affected him. He was only 15 at the time when he and his mother, Ata Johnson, had been evicted from their apartment in Nashville. “She got out of the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic,” Johnson said in the interview. "Big rigs and cars were swerving out of the way. I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road.” Though his mother has no memory of her suicide attempt, Johnson tried to find the strength to keep going in life, and so did his mother. “We both healed but we’ve always got to do our best to pay attention when other people are in pain,” he added. “We have to help them through it and remind them they are not alone.” 

The "Black Adam" star noted that the awareness of his "mental pain" and talking to someone who understands where he is coming from made all of the difference. "I've worked hard over the years to gain the emotional tools to work through any mental pain that may come to test me. As men, we didn't talk about it. We just kept our heads down and worked through it. Not healthy, but it's all we knew," Johnson added.

If you are having thoughts about taking your own life or know of anyone who is, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 998.