Alan Ritchson is Hollywood's most exceptional actor today. He rose to prominence after his role as Aquaman in the CW series Smallville. He is now making headlines for his role in the fan-favorite action series Reacher, which premiered in 2022. The actor mostly holds a macho persona, but in this type, he is opening up about his vulnerable moments.
In a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Reachers star Alan Ritchson opened up about his bipolar issues and the meaning behind his tattoos.
Alan Ritchson opens up about his bipolar issues
The Reachers superstar Alan Ritchson is opening up about his mental health issues. By describing a horrific incident and his diagnosis of being bipolar, Ritchson is shedding light on his vulnerable and darkest moments in life. In a recent interview with a Hollywood Reporter, Alan Ritchson spoke about his darkest moments in life. 
Ritchson revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that in 2019 one day, a set of unfortunate incidents and mishaps became too much for him. He simply couldn't handle it anymore. He went to the attic, where he had constructed a loft that doubled as a tree house for a short film he made. There, he discovered a green extension cord and ascended to the top.
Ritchson threw the cord across the rafters, wrapped it tight around his neck, and let go, admitting, "I hung myself. It all happened so fast, and I was dangling there." He attributed what followed to divine intervention. His sons came in with a vision from the future in their mid-30s, only a few years younger than he was at the time, and the thought that came into his head was, "They politely advised me not to do it and informed me that they want him to be a part of their lives alive."
Ritchson credits his ability to raise himself before blacking out to having done "a million pull-ups" in his lifetime. The gravity of the situation compelled him to seek medical attention right away. "I was diagnosed as bipolar right after." He was 36 years old when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and about 40 years old when he was diagnosed with ADHD.
It took a minute to absorb, but his behavior throughout the previous months and years made sense. All of the ups and downs, as well as the manic episodes, had an explanation. However, it was not immediate. First, he yelled at the doctor and rushed out, only making it as far as the parking garage before turning back.
He said, "Deep down, I felt relieved to know, 'OK, there's a name for this.' I stepped back into his office, and he didn't miss a beat. I'm sure he has seen perhaps 300 patients do the same thing over the years."
Alan Ritchson reveals the meaning behind his tattoos
Alan Ritchson has been fascinated with tattoos for a fairly recent time. His collection is growing, and each piece is carefully chosen. In the same interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the actor revealed the meaning behind his tattoos. Ritchson happens to have a lotus on his wrist in honor of his wife, Cat. Ritchson said, speaking of her, "She's the flower; I'm undoubtedly the mud.”
The couple's three young boys each also have their own tattoos: Calem has a calm dove, Edan has an abstract flame, and Amory has a shield and sword crest. There's a gigantic skull with a crown on his bicep and another down the road inspired by Richard Gere's version of the Japanese film Hachiko, which is about a devoted dog who represents loyalty and devotion.
But the most recent one, completed during a 16-hour session in Toronto in February on a day off from filming Reacher, is exclusively for him. It acts as a permanent reminder of what happened during his darkest days and who he is today as a result of surviving a near-fatal accident. The tattoo depicts the ancient Greeks' two overlapping masks, representing comedy, tragedy, joy, and suffering.
Speaking of his recent tattoo, he said, "I discovered that tattoos are a great way for me to express my narrative and talk about the things that are most important to me: family, my wife, and our relationship, what loyalty means to me, and faith. But this, right here, is the closest I'll ever get to a personal identity. As someone who deals with bipolar disorder and ADHD on a daily basis, it has a dual meaning for me in the extremes: the happy, the sad, the ups and downs. Being bipolar has played havoc on my life numerous times. I would wish it away if I could, but it's so much a part of who I am now, I should celebrate it."
Meanwhile, both seasons of Alan Ritchon's hit series Reacher are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, while the show has already been renewed for another season.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.
