Big E is opening up about just how difficult it was for him to talk publicly about his mental health struggles, and there was a time when he was convinced revealing the truth could completely change how people looked at him.
During his appearance on Under The Mat, Big E discussed his upcoming memoir, How I Got Over, and explained that the book goes well beyond his WWE career. He said roughly a quarter of the memoir deals with wrestling, while a major portion focuses on his mental health journey, including his diagnosis with major depressive disorder with psychotic features and spending a month in a psychiatric hospital.
The conversation turned to whether Big E ever imagined he would become comfortable enough to speak so openly about that period of his life. Big E admitted that wasn’t something he could have pictured for himself for a very long time because of the shame he carried over what happened.
“It is something that I did not anticipate doing for a very long time. I carried a lot of shame with my diagnosis. I thought if anyone ever found out that I spent a month in a psych ward, that I would be dismissed, that I would not be taken seriously, that I would be pointed to as the crazy person.”
Big E said things started to change after he opened up about his experiences in his Players’ Tribune article, “Sour.” The reaction he received made him realize there was value in telling more of his story instead of continuing to keep that part of his life hidden.
“But thankfully, you know, I had a Players’ Tribune article called ‘Sour’ that came out about a year and a half ago. And just seeing the reception to that just really made me more excited to talk about my mental health journey just more robustly.”
Earlier in the interview, Big E explained that he wants How I Got Over to give readers an honest look at depression, medication, therapy and what it was like being hospitalized. More importantly, he wants people who may be going through their own struggles to come away with some hope.
Big E spent years believing his diagnosis was something that could make people dismiss him entirely. Now, he’s putting that experience at the center of his story and speaking about something he once feared anyone finding out about.
What do you think about Big E opening up about the fear and shame he carried after his psychiatric hospital stay? Let us know your thoughts and feedback.
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