Carson Daly Recalls Having His First Panic Attack At ‘TRL’: “I’m Having A Stroke In Front Of Hanson”

Carson Daly opened up this week about how he came to terms with his mental health after suffering a panic attack on Total Request Live.

“One September day, I thought I was going to die,” he recalled while speaking at the recent gala for Project Health Minds, the nonprofit organization where he he is a member of the board of directors.

The host’s moving speech about the “unusual” experience was shared this week by the The Today Show.

“I was in my dressing room and I could sense all the normal live buzz of the show before it went on,” Daly said. “I could hear the crowd outside. I could hear horns honking, normal Total Request chaos, very usual.”

“In my dressing room I felt what I can describe as a snap in my brain,” he explained. “My heart started to race and fear went through my body like I was a kid and wouldn’t let go.”

The Today host recalled that he could see his producer at the time speaking to him, but he felt like he couldn’t hear him. “It looked like he was talking in slo-mo. I was literally leaving reality,” he said.

“I thought, ‘My God, I’m having a stroke in front of Hanson,'” he added, referring to the popular ’90s boy band. “It passed in 30 seconds, but it felt like 30 minutes.”

Daly candidly revealed that he felt “absolutely terrified” that it would “happen again at any moment.” He took it as a sign to check on his health and went to visit a doctor, who told him that it was likely triggered by stress and anxiety.

He later revealed that the the second time he experienced a panic attack was while presenting on The Voice. “Not a good time to lose your s—,” he joked.

“It was time to start working on myself. And over the years, I put in the work to manage and, ultimately, admire my anxiety,” he said. “I learned to manage it with a regimen that smart people help me, meditation, breathing, taking a cold plunge, focusing on working hard for my family, and taking my meds.”

He jokingly added that he began taking “the prescribed kind” of medicine, “Not the kinds from Snoop [Dogg].” 

The television host expressed in his speech that he hopes to work with Project Healthy Minds, an organization that aims to connect people in need with the right mental health resources, to build “a world where everyone knows that mental health isn’t something to hide from, but a journey to take openly. And a journey where you’ll find support along the way.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, call or text the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) hotline at 800-950-NAMI (6264).