Ben Affleck Reveals He's Been Taking Antidepressants Since Age 26

Premiere Of Magnolia Pictures' "To The Wonder" - Arrivals

Ben Affleck is out promoting his upcoming film The Way Back and getting super candid about his personal life in the process. Not only did he open up about his "painful" divorce from Jennifer Garner, which he called the "biggest regret" of his life, the 47-year-old actor is opening up about his years-long struggle with alcoholism and the history of mental illness in his family.

While chatting with Diane Swayer for Good Morning America, Affleck revealed he suffers from depression and has been taking anti-depressants for over two decades now. “I get depressed. I take antidepressants. They’re very helpful for me,” Affleck told Sawyer. “I’ve taken them since I was 26 years old, various different kinds. I’ve switched and tried this and tried that. Sometimes they won’t tell you about some awful side effect and you’ll come back and say, ‘Why am I 60 pounds heavier?’ And [the doctor says], ‘Oh, well you put on a little weight.’ And it’s like, ‘Oh, well thanks!’"

He also spoke about he desire to find "some sort of sense of meaning and purpose. I was not raised religious — I’m not a very good Christian, although I go to church with my kids because it was important to Jennifer, and now I go too and I like it quite a bit,” he told Sawyer.

When asked what he wants people to say about him in five years, Affleck said, "Five years from now, ‘Ben Affleck is sober and happy and sees his kids three and a half days a week, and has made three or four movies that are interesting to him, directed two that he’s hopefully proud of … and is in a healthy, stable, loving, committed relationship." With a laugh, Affleck added. “I really set myself up for that one, didn’t I? Better make it now."

The Way Back arrives in theaters on March 6.

Photo: Getty


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