Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Is Leading A Heartfelt Conversation About Depression

Ballers star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is opening up about a topic very personal to him: his battle with depression.

The Baywatch actor got candid with The Express about a difficult time in his life which led him to a dark place mentally. Before Johnson became a professional wrestler, he was signed to the Canadian Football League, but was let go after just one year. A breakup with a girlfriend shortly afterwards, Johnson told The Express, only added to his devastation.

"I reached a point where I didn’t want to do a thing or go anywhere," the Jumanji star told the publication. "I was crying constantly."

Johnson, who also told The Express that his own mother struggled with mental health issues, shared an important message on Twitter following the interview.

"Got tons of responses to this. Thank you," the HBO star wrote on the social media platform. "We all go thru the sludge/shit and depression never discriminates. Took me a long time to realize it but the key is to not be afraid to open up. Especially us dudes have a tendency to keep it in. You’re not alone."

It's always applaudable when stars use their platform to discuss mental health issues, but as Johnson notes in his Twitter post, it's particularly important for men to feel comfortable opening up about their own struggles. Society does not always allow men the opportunity to show their vulnerable or emotional side, which can make it difficult for those who do struggle with issues like depression to speak up about getting the help they need.

Many fans were appreciative of the star's honesty:

"More [perceived] strong man like y'all who talk about depression will give others a new view point on it. Appreciate it. Y'all doing [God's] work," one wrote on Twitter.

"Recently had a few issues myself, it’s good to know that I’m normal, and that one of my heroes has conquered similar things, thanks for speaking out," added a second.

Another pointed out why it's so important Johnson came forward:

"For every man that does open up and is honest there's about ten others hiding in the shadows and saying nothing but suffering. Toxic masculinity."

Here's hoping that Johnson's honestly helps drive forward an important conversation.