After taking time away from the stage last month to focus on his mental health, HARDY is opening up about some of the techniques he’s learned to manage his anxiety in hopes it can help others manage their own.
LISTEN NOW: HARDY opens up about his own experience navigating mental health
In early October, the 33-year-old shared with fans via social media that he’s been struggling with anxiety and panic attacks related to his bus crash in Fall 2022. He then revealed he’d chosen to cancel a pair of upcoming shows and postpone one so he could fully focus on getting better.
“I’ve learned recently that it’s best for me to handle a lot of that stuff if I know I’m not alone,” HARDY shared with Audacy. “It’s better to just get it out there and I wanted to do that on a grand scale. I also wanted to make sure that my fans know that I’m human… and at the end of the day, I wanted the support, I needed the support. I needed as many people to be thinking of me and praying for me as possible.”
In addition to the support and prayers, HARDY credits a large part of his ongoing recovery to the physical techniques he practices to help him combat dark thoughts and oncoming anxiety attacks. “If I’m starting to feel a really dark wave come over, [I] just tell somebody. They don’t have to do anything about it, but I just say, ‘Hey, I want you to know I’m feeling pretty anxious right now,'” he said before sharing other techniques he uses are focusing on his breathing and writing out his thoughts.
“I just bring this notebook with me everywhere with me now,” he shared, admitting writing is his favorite coping mechanism. “I’ll just pull it out and start writing. It could be anything – what I did that day, what I’m going to do tomorrow – it doesn’t matter. It’s a really, really good way to distract your mind, because it’s all in your head, it’s literally all in your head.”
Hear more about HARDY’s mental health journey by listening to the clip above and find helpful resources on Audacy’s I’m Listening page here.
Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.