Ryan Reynolds Says His Three Daughters Inspired Him to Talk About His Mental Health

Ryan Reynolds is thanking his daughters for helping him talk about his struggles with mental health.

Late last month, the 44-year-old actor candidly opened up about his “lifelong” struggles with anxiety.

In a new interview, Ryan says his three daughters – James, 6, Inez, 4, and Betty, 1 – whom he shares with wife Blake Lively inspired him to talk publicly about his mental health.

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“Part of it is that I have three daughters at home and part of my job as a parent is to model behaviors and model what it’s like to be sad and model what it’s like to be anxious, or angry. That there’s space for all these things,” Ryan shared with Entertainment Tonight.

“The home that I grew in, that wasn’t modeled for me really,” Ryan continued. “And that’s not to say that my parents were neglectful, but they come from a different generation.”

Ryan added, “Part of that is to destigmatize things and create a conversation around [mental health]. I know that when I felt at the absolute bottom, it’s usually been because I felt like I was alone in something I was feeling. So I think when people talk about it, I don’t necessarily dwell on it or lament on it, but I think it’s important to talk about it. And when you talk about it, it kind of sets other people free.”

Make sure you check out the trailer for Ryan‘s new movie The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, which is set to hit theaters on June 16.