Randy Orton Opens Up About Mental Health Issues And Suffering Panic Attacks

Randy Orton has opened up about the mental health struggles he endured which led to him suffering from panic attacks.

The 14-time World Champion missed over a year of action between May 2022 and November 2023 due to spinal fusion surgery, which is when many of his issues came to a head.

Discussing his struggles, Orton opened up to Stephanie McMahon on her 'What's The Story?' podcast about how he ended up being prescribed anti-depressants to cope with the belief that his career may be over during his lengthy layoff.

“I didn’t see us talking about this stuff but I started kind of like getting in my head and this is after I met Kim (Orton) and I have three stepsons and I have two daughters and I kind of got overwhelmed and I started getting… I don’t know. I don’t even really wanna get into this but I don’t even give a f**k. Like, what the hell? Like, we all are human."

Orton continued:

"I was having panic attacks and it was like, it started to become hard to fly, started to become hard to stay in another bed and I would be up all night and it was really rough, and I think it kind of came to a head when I had my spinal fusion and I was out for like a year and a half and it was like, here’s my identity. This is who I am. This is the one thing I know that I’m good at and I get respect for and I can’t do it anymore and for like six months, I was under the impression that that was it."
Randy Orton

Orton had been part of a successful tag team with Matt Riddle, known as RK-Bro in 2022, becoming SmackDown Tag Team Champions together before dropping the titles to The Usos shortly after WrestleMania 38. Not long after that Orton was on the shelf for what he believed was forever.

"I met this amazing doctor, Dr. (Adam) Kanter, Newport Beach, California and he was able to perform the surgery on me so that I would be able to be an athlete again and not cut through any muscle. Once you cut through any muscle and that muscle’s stitched together, there’ll be fatty infiltration into the tissue to where that muscle doesn’t operate the same that it used to. It can get you by but you’re not gonna be a pro wrestler or pro athlete.

"During that time, that six months where I thought that that was it… When I was younger, I felt so mentally strong and mentally tough and nothing could shake me, and I got to a dark place and I started to revert back to some of my old habits and I’ve got a wife and five kids and luckily, I was able to kind of nip it in the bud quick. She saw it happening and I was put on some SSRIs. It’s like a anti-depression, anti-anxiety medication, and I’ve actually been off of them for about six months and I feel like I’m myself again but I needed them for a few years.

"I can’t believe I’m talking about this. I didn’t know if I could do this job anymore even after I came back. My head was just going… It was playing out all the scenarios, worst-case. It was trying to go to bed at night and then not being able to lay down in bed because my mind would start going then all of a sudden, I’d get hot and I’d have to get out of bed and then I’d be like -- everyone’s sleeping in the house and then I’m out walking around our yard, just taking deep breaths, and I met an amazing doctor and she gave me pages and pages of information on how to deal with panic attacks."
Randy Orton

Orton returned to WWE programming at Survivor Series 2023 in Chicago, helping Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso and Seth Rollins defeat The Judgement Day and Drew McIntyre in a WarGames match. The Viper would then go onto partner with Kevin Owens and feud with Logan Paul over the United States Title, before eventually splitting with Owens after KO turned heel, delivering a piledriver to Orton and sidelining him once again.

The former Intercontinental Champion was due to face Owens at this year's WrestleMania only for the match to be cancelled when Owens himself was sidelined with neck surgery needed. Orton instead faced and defeated then-TNA Champion Joe Hendry before unsuccessfully challenging John Cena for the WWE Title at Backlash.

Most recently, the master of the RKO lost in the King Of The Ring final at Night Of Champions to his former protege Cody Rhodes.

For anybody struggling with mental health issues, whether it's depression, anxiety or anything else, help is always at hand. The National Mental Health Hotline provides free and confidential 24/7 assistance. Call 866-903-3787.

(H/T Fightful for the transcription)

The Latest On WWE, AEW & More

Christopher Daniels Opens Up About A Legendary Vince McMahon WWE Rumor

Jim Ross Reveals Which Match He Would Like To Call At AEW All In: Texas

AEW Reportedly Showing Heavy Interest In Former WWE Superstar

Jeff Hardy Opens Up About How AEW Run Ended: "I Think I Never Got A Fair Chance"