Carson Daly reflects on his struggles with anxiety in his 20s on his 50th birthday - Daily Mail

'I feel better now than I did in my 20s': Today host Carson Daly reflects on his struggles with anxiety on his 50th birthday - revealing he has an entire mental health room in his home complete with a cold plunge pool

• Daly celebrated his milestone birthday on the Today show Thursday 
• The host said he feels mentally stronger than he did when he was in his 20s
• He suffered for years before being diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder

By Erica Nardozzi For Dailymail.Com

Published: 21:09 BST, 22 June 2023 | Updated: 21:15 BST, 22 June 2023

Carson Daly has reflected on his struggles with anxiety while celebrating his milestone 50th birthday, saying he now has an entire room in his house devoted to mental health.

In an interview with Today.com, the host shared that he feels mentally stronger than ever as he enters the next decade of his life. He recalled being plagued by excessive worrying and fear when he started his broadcast career at the age of 23. 

It wasn't until years later that Daly was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a condition he had unknowingly lived with for the majority of his life. 

'I suffered for so long without knowing what it was,' he said. 'I was scared a lot. I always felt panicky. You know that feeling of losing your phone or your wallet? That's how I felt all the time.'

'I couldn't relax,' he added. 'I couldn't enjoy life.'

Daly went public with his diagnosis in 2018, sharing that he had his first panic attack when he was hosting MTV's Total Request Live in the '90s. 

He credits cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with helping him manage his anxiety. 

CBT is a common type of treatment that helps patients recognize and change their unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior, according to the American Psychological Association. 

'I now have the tools to work through my anxiety,' Daily said. 'I've never felt this strong mentally, and that's one of the reasons I feel so good about going into my 50s.'

The Voice host has also recently dedicated a room in his house to mental health that comes complete with a Peloton bike and a cold plunge pool. 

Research suggests that cold plunging may ease symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. 

Daly shared that his family calls the room the 'Daly Health and Wellness Center.' 

'It's a place where I can go and meditate and read,' he explained. 'I get in 40-degree water every day for three minutes.'

Daly said he is also 'living in the moment and taking advantage of each day.' 

As a daily reminder that his time on earth is fleeting, he wears a necklace that says 'memento mori,' which translates to 'remember that you will die' in Latin. 

'Some people might think, "Wow, that's so morbid." But it's not like I'm pondering being on my deathbed,' he said. 'I'm just extremely cognizant of the importance of now.'

Daly was five when his biological father, Jim 'J.D.' Daly, died from cancer. In 2017, he lost both his mother, Pattie Daly Caruso, and his stepfather, Richard Caruso, who had raised him. 

He and his wife, Siri Daly, have four children together, Jackson, 14, Etta, 10, London, 8, and Goldie, 3, and he is looking forward to the future. 

'I feel better now than I did in my 20s,' he said. 'There's so much self-acceptance that comes with age.' 

Daly received a visit from Siri, who is also a Today contributor, on Thursday's show in honor of his 50th birthday. 

The food blogger demonstrated how to make one of his favorite meals, chimichurri steak and cheesy mashed potatoes.

'I owe America an apology because people who watched me on MTV and TRL growing up are waking up going, "Carson Daly is 50? Oh, my God,"' he joked. 

Daly also received a surprise visit from his three daughters, who wheeled him out a birthday cake.  

'It's time to raise a glass. If you know anything about Carson Daly, it is that he is a family man, so we have got Etta, London, and Goldie,' Savannah Guthrie announced before they came out, noting that his teenage son was home sleeping.

Daly's family joined Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Sheinelle Jones, and their guest Kelly Clarkson as they sang him 'Happy birthday.' 

'I love you guys,' he said. 'I love my work family. I love my family family. I appreciate it.'

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