"I tried, at one point in time, to take my own life" — Ryan Guzman opens up about past suicide attempt amid mental health crisis

9-1-1 star Ryan Guzman opened up about his mental health crisis that nearly drove him to suicide in the May 21 episode of Tommy DiDario's I've Never Said This Before podcast.

Disclaimer: The article talks about attempted suicide, suicide, and depression, which may be triggering for some. Reader discretion is advised.

In a People's exclusive clip, the actor recalled attempting to take his own life several years ago, an incident that he had been hesitant to share publicly till now.

“About six and a half, seven years ago… I tried, at one point in time, to take my own life. Luckily it didn’t work. Luckily I got a second chance, by the grace of God,” he recounted.

Ryan Guzman gained prominence as the lead character Sean Asa in the dance franchise's Step Up Revolution and Step Up: All In. He currently plays Eddie Diaz in the ABC procedural drama 9-1-1.

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Ryan Guzman urged men to lean on people for mental health support

Reflecting on his life after his suicide attempt, Ryan Guzman stated that he embraced each opportunity to heal and build on the moments that helped him survive.

He also advised men experiencing similar mental health crises to let go of people who are not conducive to a healthy lifestyle and find better people for support and help.

According to Healthline's reporting on 2021's data, men have a higher suicide rate, making up almost 80% of suicides in the US. Reflecting on this during his appearance on the podcast, Guzman urged men to abandon the tough guy act and lean on other men during times of crisis.

“So I would implore that all men renounce this fact of ‘You’re a tough man, you have to hold all this in,’ but lean on your brother. Really lean on your brother and if your brothers aren’t being there in the way they need to be, find some new ones,” he said.

Ryan Guzman lost his longtime friend Stephen “tWitch” Boss to suicide in December 2022. He called his friend's suicide and his own attempt "life-changing," claiming that these incidents shifted his perspective on how to view life.

"That moment itself, in addition to what happened to my brother tWitch, are probably the two biggest fundamental moments of my entire life and have allowed me to have a deeper sense of mercy and empathy towards every individual," he added.

The actor also revealed that he is hopeful of a "new wave" taking over when discussing mental health struggles, allowing people to have "true connections" with each other.

Guzman has previously briefly touched upon his depression while responding to a fan on X in May 2020, encouraging the fan after they posted about going through a tough time.

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Ryan Guzman's 9-1-1 character Eddie Diaz, introduced in season 2, has faced mental health problems on the show. This includes suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and panic attacks following his return from the army.