The Rock reveals secret battle with depression

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Photo / Getty Images

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has opened up about his secret battle with depression which left him "devastated and crying constantly", one month after he revealed he had witnessed his mother attempt suicide when he was 15.

The wrestling legend turned actor, 45, candidly discussed the darkest time of his life in a new interview with The Express.

He said: "Struggle and pain is real. I was devastated and depressed. I reached a point where I didn't want to do a thing or go anywhere. I was crying constantly."

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“Cause every girl’s crazy bout a sharp dressed man”... who occasionally trips over himself when walkin’ cool, but loves tequila and pancakes. Been grindin’ every day for months now on @ballershbo. Worth every minute and can’t wait for you to check out our new season this summer on HBO. #FinalWeekOfProduction #Ballers

A post shared by therock (@therock) on Mar 27, 2018 at 11:48pm PDT

Years after witnessing his mother Ata attempt suicide when they were evicted from their flat, Dwayne saw his dream of becoming a professional footballer destroyed following numerous injuries.

He then signed with the Canadian Football League but was sadly let go within one year. The Scorpion King star star said: "That was my absolute worst time."

According to the Daily Mail, the actor has channelled his past in comedy series Ballers, where he plays a retired NFL player turned financial manager of other NFL players, who is also dealing with the possibility that the sport has left him brain damaged.

It was while shooting an emotional scene for the show, which he posted on Instagram, that he revealed how he had saved his mother's life after she ran into oncoming traffic.

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Not your typical scene on our comedy #ballers, as I cracked a beer open toasting my character’s brother, William who committed suicide. Got me thinkin’ though bout how many of us have been affected by suicide of our friends, family. Struggle and pain is real. We’ve all been there on some level or another. My mom tried to check out when I was 15. She got outta the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic. Big rigs and cars swerving outta the way not to hit her. I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road. What’s crazy about that suicide attempt is to this day, she has no recollection of it whatsoever. Probably best she doesn’t. Shits of a scene to shoot - didn’t like it - but it did reminder that we always gotta do our best to really pay attention when people are in pain. Help ‘em thru it, get ‘em talkin’ about the struggle and remind ‘em that they’re not alone. We got lucky that day when I was 15 and that ain’t always the case.

A post shared by therock (@therock) on Feb 1, 2018 at 12:45am PST

Posting the photo showing him in a cemetary the star wrote: "Not your typical scene on our comedy #Ballers, as I cracked a beer open toasting my character's brother, William who committed suicide.

"Got me thinkin' though bout how many of us have been affected by suicide of our friends, family. Struggle and pain is real. We've all been there on some level or another.

"My mom tried to check out when I was 15. She got outta the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic. Big rigs and cars swerving outta the way not to hit her. I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road.

"What's crazy about that suicide attempt is to this day, she has no recollection of it whatsoever. Probably best she doesn't.

"Sh**s of a scene to shoot - didn't like it - but it did reminder that we always gotta do our best to really pay attention when people are in pain. Help 'em thru it, get 'em talkin' about the struggle and remind 'em that they're not alone. We got lucky that day when I was 15 and that ain't always the case."