While hosting the TODAY Show, Daly shared his struggle with general anxiety disorder.
This happened to me at MTV, says Daly.
Daly talked about how for more than 10 years he lived withgeneralized anxiety disorderand panic attacks.
Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
He also discussed howcognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) helped him find balance.
I just started talking about it without even thinking…it was taboo.
I guess Im a pretty open person when Im on television or not, he says.
When the show ended, Daly immediately received positive feedback from the public.
I was happy to talk about it, but I couldnt believe the reaction it got.
I must seem like a childhood friend, like a trusted source if you will, says Daly.
Opening up about his experience inspired him to stand up to the stigma.
I dont buy into the stigma at all.
The stories appear across the TODAY broadcast, TODAY.com, and the TODAY All Day streaming platform.
I love hosting those shows, says Daly.
He is hopeful that the country is in the midst of redefining what strength means.
[The] new being strong is being vulnerable…There is strength in your struggle.
For instance, he appreciates men in the NFL spreading mental health awareness.
Theres so much power in that because there are so many millions of young men that see that.
[There] were a few ESPN critics who said, hes Americas team quarterback.
He shouldnt talk about that, he shouldnt cry on camera.
As a father, he aims to exemplify a similar openness with his four children.
Its a big conversation in my house with my kids.
They obviously see the work that I do publicly in the mental health advocacy space talking about it.
I talk to them about it, he says.
Their responses prompt further conversation about why something was bad or good.
As a dad of three girls, he puts particular emphasis on opening the lines of communication.
It normalizes it, Daly says.
If Ive broken it?
It would take me 5 minutes, he says.
We look at our physical health much differently than we look at our mental health, unfortunately.
People are worried that their friends are going to think theyre crazy if theyre on [medication].
They dont want their employers to know about it.
The workplace is one area he thinks the conversation can go a long way.
I think companies need to step up.
We need leaders in the space to take mental health on, he says.
The companys CEO Larry Fink asked him to speak.
I think it takes people like that to lead on this topic, says Daly.
Its help me immensely to understand the model of anxiety.
To understand that its a real thing…to understand…there is somenature and nurture, he says.
I lost my father when I was young.
I have a host of things in my past that probably make up who I am.
He also leans on daily exercise andmeditation.
He uses the Calm app to engage in a daily 8-minute breathing exercise.
After practicing it for a while, he got hooked.
That was really helpful to me to kind of calm down.
His latest strategy is hot and cold therapy.
He jumps in 40-degree water for 3 minutes every day.
Cold water is really an incredible thing for people who have a nervous mind.
While he has a cold plunge at home, he says a cold shower can have the same effect.
His go-to for caring for his mental health also includes people.
While hes close to his family, he says talking with others about their mental journeys is therapeutic.
The point of all of this is the people who are suffering in silence arent talking about it.
