Dax Shepard can often sense when his wife, Kristen Bell, is about to enter a depressive «slump,» a pattern he admits used to worry him
When Kristen Bell faces dark moments, her husband, Dax Shepard, is there to support her.
In the Nov. 25 episode of his Armchair Expert podcast, Shepard, 49, was discussing the «coping mechanisms» he uses for his own bouts of depression when he opened up about how he helps Bell, 44, manage her mental health struggles.
«Kristen has depression, so it’s not always triggered by something specific,» he explained during a conversation with guest Anna Kendrick. «It’s more like a wave that hits her. She’ll sleep a lot, and there’s really nothing I can do about it—or think I should do.»
Shepard described these times as «slumps» for Bell, saying she will retreat into rest for a while, only to eventually emerge. «Earlier on, it used to scare me,» he admitted. «I’d wonder, ‘Is this going to last forever?’»
Shepard shared that his approach to helping Bell has evolved over time. «I’ll gently say, ‘Hey, love. Have you checked in with your psychiatrist lately? I’m not saying you need to do anything, just asking,'» he said. «That’s one thing I can do. It’s changed because I used to try to fix it.»
Kristen Bell has long been open about her struggles with depression and anxiety, using her platform to advocate for mental health awareness.
However, she shared in a January 2023 interview that there was a time when she kept her challenges private.
«Before I started talking openly about my anxiety and depression, I realized that I had this public image as a bubbly actress who probably didn’t experience dark days,» Bell reflected.
It was her husband, Dax Shepard, who encouraged her to be transparent about her mental health, after he had been candid about his own journey with recovery from drug addiction.
Bell explained, “Saying ‘I’m feeling sad’ is something you typically keep behind closed doors.
And I don’t think that’s either natural or normal.» She emphasized the importance of letting people know that there are resources and support available for everyone, in various forms.
