Jared Padalecki Reveals He Checked Into A Clinic For ‘Suicidal Ideation’

Jared Padalecki, 41, is getting candid about his mental health struggles, revealing he once checked into a clinic.

The “Supernatural” actor opened up about his past, and how he once had to battle “dramatic suicidal ideation.” Despite the struggles, Jared Padalecki says he’s been “proudly open” about his experience with mental health and wants to help others get the help they need.

“It was 2015, I had a really low moment,” he said in PEOPLE’s exclusive clip from the June 25 episode of Tommy DiDario’s “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast. “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 “Supernatural” actor admitted he was in a very dark place, but it’s something he is not ashamed of.

“I needed a full reset,” he told the outlet. “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.”

As he continues to navigate everyday life and battle with mental health, Padalecki said he continues therapy and he “wears it proudly.”

“I don’t wear it as a scarlet letter,” the actor said of realizing he needed to get help. “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.”

The “Gilmore Girls” actor admits he still struggles with depression and anxiety, especially when he found out his show “Walker” was canceled.

“You’re a human, I’m a human. There are still highs and lows. And today’s a low,” he shared as tears began to form in his eyes. “I’m fine, nothing to worry about but I have a lot of sadness about Walker [being canceled], the family.”

“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,” he added. “Please be open, please share, please find somebody whether it’s a friend or professional. Speak the truth.”

His “Supernatural” co-star Jensen Ackles told fans at a convention in New Jersey that while Padalecki was not driving the vehicle, he still got pretty banged up.

“He was in a very bad car accident,” Jensen told the audience at the time. “He wasn’t driving. He was in the passenger seat, and he’s lucky to be alive.”

“He’s at home recovering, which — the fact that he’s not even in the hospital right now is, like, blowing my mind because I saw the car,” he added.

“That airbag packs a punch,” the actor explained. “He’s like, ‘I feel like I went 12 rounds with Tyson.’ But he is doing OK, and he’s moving around. But yeah, [it was a] really, really bad car accident. Just keep him in your thoughts, send him some love if you get a chance on social and he’ll be back with us soon.”

Fortunately, everyone survived the car accident.

A few days after the convention, Padalecki took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to share an update with his fans.

He tweeted, “Hey y’all! I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love. I’m definitely on the mend and hoping to return to filming later this week. I’m so lucky to have had the best care and be surrounded by people who love me. So grateful for everyone?#SPNFamily #WalkerFamily #AKF” #AFK stands for Always Keep Fighting.”

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.