Zachary Levi.Photo: John Russo
Zachary Leviis sharing his vulnerable side in a very powerful way.
Ahead of the release of his first memoirRadical Love: Learning to Accept Yourself and Others(out June 28), the 41-year-old actor opened up to PEOPLE about his mental health struggles, overcoming suicidal thoughts and eventually finding peace.
But, as he reveals in his new memoir,Levi — who rose to fame as goofy spy Chuck Bartowski on the NBC dramaChuckin 2007 and suited up as a superhero in the filmShazam!in 2019 — has privately struggled with personal demons during his time in the spotlight.
“I did not see reality correctly,” he says. “All I saw was doom and gloom, and I couldn’t find myself or find my way out of it.”
Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic
He hopes opening up about his battle with depression and suicidal thoughts will help others in pain.
“If I do nothing else in this world, I want people to understand that they are loved, that they are worthy of love and that they are worthy of investing in themselves,” he says.
“The truth is, we’re all messed up,” says Levi. “But it doesn’t mean that we’re broken beyond repair. It just means that we all have healing that we need to do.”
Last week,Levi got candidabout what readers can expect from his memoir during an appearance on Elizabeth Vargas’Heart of the Matterpodcast.
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“I’ve struggled with this stuff most of my life. I didn’t realize that I was struggling with these things until I was 37, about five years ago and I had a complete mental breakdown,” Levi said in the episode, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.
“The irony is that booze can give you this temporary relief, but then the next day amplifies that anxiety tenfold,” he added. “So, then you’re running back to get more and it just becomes this vicious cycle.”
Today, Levi’s recovery remains a work in progress, but exposing his vulnerable side in his book has given him unprecedented hope.
“I found the other side, and it’s vibrant and amazing,” he tells PEOPLE. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t have a lot more healing to do in my life. It doesn’t mean thatI won’t still struggle with moments and things that require more therapy. But I know life is far more worth living and fighting for now that I’ve fought through that darkness.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go tosuicidepreventionlifeline.org.
source: people.com
