The Rock is the latest celeb to get real about mental-health struggles

Dwayne Johnson is one of Hollywood’s favorite tough guys; he’s nicknamed the Rock, after all. But not even a six-foot-five frame and bodybuilder muscles can render someone impervious to depression and mental-health issues. Johnson recently opened up about his history with mental illness in the hopes that others could find comfort to discuss their feelings too.

“I reached a point where I didn’t want to do anything or go anywhere. I was crying constantly.” —Dwayne Johnson

In an interview with The Express, Johnson said both he and his mother have dealt with depression in the past. “I reached a point where I didn’t want to do anything or go anywhere. I was crying constantly,” he said.

When Johnson was just 15 years old, he said he saved his mother from a suicide attempt after they were evicted from their apartment. “She got out of the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic. I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road.”

Years later, he realized his pro football dreams wouldn’t come to fruition, thanks to multiple injuries. Shortly thereafter, he was dealing with a breakup from his then-girlfriend, and he called this period his “absolute worst time.” Luckily, Johnson ended up prevailing against the illness and said he tries to be there for others who struggle with it. “We both healed,” Johnson said of himself and his mother, “but we’ve always got to do our best to pay attention when other people are in pain. We have to help them through it and remind them they’re not alone.”

With more and more celebrities getting real about their mental-health struggles—like Selena Gomez and Miranda Kerr—the world is becoming a much safer space for all people to admit they need help. And that includes the tough cookies who might not think they need it.

Here’s why stopping your workouts could lead to depression symptoms. Or, read these six common myths about depression, busted by therapists.