Supernatural star Jared Padalecki opens up about getting checked into a clinic for mental health struggles in 2015

American actor Jared Padalecki, famous for his roles in Supernatural and Gilmore Girls, has recently opened up about his past mental health struggles, nearly a decade after checking himself into a clinic.

Trigger warning: This article has mentions of suicide. Reader discretion is advised.

The 41-year-old appeared in a People's exclusive clip from the upcoming episode of Tommy DiDario’s I’ve Never Said This Before podcast and talked about a 2015 incident about "suicidal ideation". He revealed:

"I had a really low moment. I was letting my thoughts take over and going to places of dramatic suicidal ideation. I called my wife and she said, ‘Get home.’ And so, I got home, went to a clinic for a couple weeks and looked into it and haven’t been suicidal since — not for a moment."

The podcast video with Jared and his wife Genevieve Padalecki will be released on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, on DiDario's Apple and Spotify accounts.

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Jared Padalecki opens up about his mental health and acting career

Jared Padalecki began his acting career with a minor role in the 1999 film A Little Inside. A year later, he played the character Dean Forester on the television series Gilmore Girls, a role he portrayed until 2005. The actor was also on the popular WB series Supernatural as Sam Winchester from 2005 to 2020.

Jared Padalecki recently made an appearance on the I’ve Never Said This Before podcast with his wife Genevieve. When the host asked the actor to tell the audience about something he had never said before according to the podcast's name, Padalecki expressed how he once suffered from “dramatic su*cidal ideation.” He also opened up about feeling burned out with his work, sharing:

"I needed a full reset. I had spent 15 years in this industry. You go to an audition or on a red carpet and they don’t want, ‘Jared, how are you doing today?’ ‘Oh today was rough, I didn’t sleep.’ They want, ‘Oh it’s great! Excited to be here!’ So I had done that for so long, trying to focus on what’s best for the person who’s talking to me as opposed to just being honest."

Jared Padalecki is a father to three children, Thomas Colton, 12, Austin "Shep" Shepherd, 10, and Odette Elliott, 7. He talked about being happy to be open about seeking help with his mental health in the podcast. The artist said:

"I don’t wear it as a scarlet letter. It’s not like I’m shameful like, 'Hey, I see a therapist, I've been to a clinic'. I wear it proudly. I put it on my face and tell everybody. If you’re not in a situation where you need that degree of help then don’t seek it. I needed a surgeon — not literally — but I needed it and here I am."

Most recently, Jared Padalecki was seen playing the leading role in the rebooted Western drama Walker. The actor teared up while talking about the highs and lows of life and shared that "today is a low", referencing the recent cancellation of Walker. He added:

"And my tears aren't for myself. I know I’ll be fine because I’m talking to you about it, I talk to Gen about it, I talk to my friends about it. Please be open, please share, please find somebody whether it’s a friend or professional. Speak the truth. Today’s a hard day. It's been a hard month since we found out, but I’m in a great place with my wife, our children, my friends, my family."

Jared Padalecki encouraged listeners to "Seek help, open up".

Walker premiered its first season on January 21, 2021. The fourth season of the show began streaming on April 3, 2024, on FuboTV, Max Amazon Channel, and Max.