‘Supernatural’ Star Jared Padalecki Reveals Struggle With Suicidal Thoughts

Jared Padalecki shares his struggles with mental health, including a harrowing experience with suicidal ideation. The Supernatural star, accompanied by his wife Genevieve Padalecki, appeared on the podcast I’ve Never Said This Before With Tommy DiDario, offering an intimate look into a particularly challenging period that led him to seek professional help.

Padalecki disclosed a critical moment in 2015 when he found himself grappling with intense suicidal thoughts. He recounted, “I was letting my brain, letting my thoughts, kind of take over and go into places of like dramatic suicidal ideation.” Recognizing the severity of his mental state, he reached out to his wife, who immediately urged him to return home.

This crisis led Padalecki to check himself into a clinic for several weeks, a decision he credits with helping him overcome his suicidal ideation. “I needed a full reset,” Padalecki admitted. He emphasized the importance of seeking help and opening up about mental health struggles, encouraging others facing similar challenges to confide in loved ones or professionals. “My tears aren’t for myself. I know I’ll be fine because I’m talking to you about it. I talked to Gen about it. I talked to my friends about it,” he shared.

Reflecting on his career in the entertainment industry, Padalecki noted how the constant pressure to maintain a positive public image had affected his ability to be honest about his feelings. He explained, “When you go to an audition or a red carpet, they don’t want, like, ‘Jared, how are you doing today?’ ‘Oh, man, today was rough, and I didn’t sleep.’ They want, like, ‘Oh, it’s great! Excited to be here.’”

The conversation also touched on Padalecki’s recent experience with the cancellation of his television show Walker. While admitting to feeling sadness over the news, he stated, “Today’s a low. I’m fine. Nothing to worry about, but I have a lot of sadness about Walker, the family.”

Padalecki’s openness extended to discussing the potential for a Supernatural revival. The actor expressed enthusiasm for a limited series reboot, saying, “I am dying to do a reboot of Supernatural, akin to the Gilmore Girls reboot, like, ‘Here are four one-and-a-half-hour episodes. We’ll shoot it in three months.’”

Throughout the interview, Padalecki stressed the ongoing nature of mental health management. He shared insights into his current coping strategies, explaining, “My time is spent really going like, ‘OK, these feelings and thoughts are real feelings and thoughts, but they’re not reality.’ Like, how do I put those over there and go like, ‘OK, I’m feeling really excited, that’s gonna change.’ ‘I’m feeling really down, that’s gonna change.’”