Following a recent interview where Randy Orton discussed his battles with panic attacks, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam shared his own deeply personal journey with mental health and medication. Speaking on his 1 of a Kind with RVD podcast, Van Dam detailed his bout with depression and explained his controversial, yet nuanced, “pro-drug” philosophy.
RVD’s Personal Battle
Van Dam explained how he began suffering from depression after the passing of his father, which manifested in uncontrollable emotional breakdowns. He decided to seek psychiatric help and was prescribed Lexapro and Wellbutrin, and he described the profound and immediate impact it had on his life.
“When I started taking the medication… right at the two-week mark, it just, it just felt like all of a sudden I had a suit of armor on,” RVD recalled. “Because I would hit these conversations that used to trigger an emotional response, and all of a sudden I was able to talk about it… I couldn’t talk about what I was going through without, without breaking down… It’s been months since I could talk about my dad without bawling and and it was just like, it made me, like, feel so much stronger.”
The “Pro-Drug” Philosophy
RVD then addressed those who might criticize his advocacy for medication, explaining his belief that the term “drug” is unfairly stigmatized. He argued that if used correctly and not abused, all forms of medicine are simply tools. “I am pro-drug. That’s because I’m honest,” he stated. “I’m pro-use. I’m also not pro-abuse. I think drug abuse is bad… but I don’t blame the fucking drugs.”
He connected this philosophy to his own life, referencing the recent news that he and his wife, Katie Forbes, are expecting twins. RVD used his impending fatherhood as a prime example of the practical and necessary role of medicine. “I gotta tell you, I doubt that my wife is going to want to give birth to two twins without drugs,” he said, adding, “But they’re going to stress me out. How can they not, you know… even being worried in the pregnancy, holy crap. That’s that’s stressful as hell.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit 1 of a Kind with Rob Van Dam with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
