Golfer Gary Woodland Details PTSD Struggle After Brain Lesion Surgery

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Gary Woodland is sharing the emotional toll of his return to golf.

The golfer, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, openly shared his experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder. He began dealing with this after surgery to remove a brain lesion in 2023 and has been privately struggling with it since returning to competition in January 2024.

During a recent interview with Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard, Gary Woodland revealed a hidden struggle despite appearing to fans as though he’s fully recovered. He explained, with visible emotion, that while people tell him how happy they are to see him back and moving past his health challenges, he privately feels immense pain and like he’s pretending to be okay. He expressed gratitude for the support but admitted to feeling like he’s ‘dying’ and ‘living a lie’.

Although the surgery stopped his seizures, the 41-year-old man still struggled with PTSD symptoms like anxiety and being constantly on guard. He often remembered a challenging incident that happened last fall while he was golfing in Napa, California.

He said a fast-moving player caught him off guard, approaching from behind. He quickly lost his bearings and his vision began to blur.

After finishing the game, Woodland—who shares 8-year-old son Jaxon and 6-year-old twin daughters Maddox and Lennox with his wife, Gabby—finally let out the emotions he’d been holding in.

He explained that he spent the rest of the day crying in every bathroom he could find. Afterwards, he left immediately.

Woodland added, “I just can’t hide it anymore.”

Since then, the golfer has collaborated with the PGA Tour to put things in place that help him feel more comfortable while playing.

I’ve been working with security, and they’ve implemented measures that make me feel much safer now. They’ve provided extra personnel and I regularly see the tour security team. As we gather more information, we’re continuing to improve these safety protocols.

Now, Woodland hopes to support others facing similar challenges, just as they have supported him.

He explained that after speaking with veterans, he learned it’s crucial to ask for help, no matter how capable you believe you are. He hopes sharing his struggles will let others know they aren’t alone in facing challenges.

Following Woodland’s example, numerous celebrities have been open and honest about their experiences with mental health. Read on to learn more…

(TopMob and Golf Channel are both part of the Versant Media family.)

Rapper Radric Davis, known professionally as Gucci Mane, shared in his 2025 book, Episodes: The Diary of a Recovering Mad Man, that he was diagnosed with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He explained that these diagnoses led to a mental health crisis in 2020.

He explained on The Breakfast Club that the experience made him realize he needed to prioritize his health and take responsibility for his well-being. He said he never wants to go through something similar again and is committed to seeing a therapist, and will even consider medication if necessary.

Gucci Mane shared that he hoped being open about his struggles would help others. He also said his children, Ice Davis and Iceland Davis, along with his wife Keyshia Ka’Oir, motivated him to get help when he was going through a difficult time.

He explained that his wife was expecting their son. He worried about the impact raising a family would have on his mental health, fearing a severe episode he might not recover from. That’s why he began addressing his issues and seeking professional support.

The former star of Gossip Girl recently shared his struggles with body image, explaining that he experienced what he called “body dysmorphia” as a young actor.

In an April 2025 interview with The Guardian, Penn shared that they deeply disliked their body and wished they had a different one.

He explained that after his parents’ divorce, and struggling with depression and isolation, he started to focus on his appearance. He felt that being seen as more attractive might lead to greater success and make him feel more valuable.

Despite the mental struggles, though, Penn credited his ability to persist to his spirituality.

He explained that it helped him overcome his disappointment and the personal struggles he was facing, allowing him to return to things with a sense of personal growth.

The Scrubs alum has been vocal about her past difficult relationship with food.

She described her struggles with food, stating on The Funny Thing Is podcast, “Some people might label it an eating disorder, but it’s just how I lived my life.” She admitted to using food in extreme ways, saying, “Food was always my addiction, and I did some really wild things with it.”

She added, “I would over-exercise, and there was a sprinkle of bulimia in there.”

Despite admitting she finds it hard to stick to her diet, she’s also been open about the positive steps she’s making towards a healthier lifestyle.

In 2017, she told Bon Appétit that at age 23, she completely changed her lifestyle by eliminating sugar and alcohol, and taking up yoga, breathing exercises, and stretching. She described this combination as being more effective than the medication Ritalin.

She shared that she struggles with food and body image, which she acknowledges is a genuine challenge. However, she’s working to overcome these issues and is focusing on natural ways to improve her physical health by prioritizing healthy eating.

The Full House alum reflected on her mental health journey and navigating her battle with depression.

She admitted on her podcast, Candace Cameron Bure Podcast, that it’s really hard to talk about, even with those closest to you. She explained that she personally feels she should be able to handle it, and admitting she can’t feels like a weakness.

The Grammy-winning artist often talks about how she safeguards her well-being, like blocking out negativity online, and offers guidance to others who are struggling.

Honestly, whenever anyone asks me what helped me through everything, I always say it’s all about patience. Seriously, that’s what saved me. I just… I gave myself time. I didn’t do anything drastic, I just waited it out, and you know what? Things really do get better. They fade, eventually. It sounds simple, but it’s the truth!

As people adjusted to social distancing to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, the singer of “Firework” opened up about how challenging and stressful times like these can be.

Honestly, it’s been so tough lately, trying to balance staying safe from the virus and dealing with the sadness that just keeps coming with this new way of life. I really related to what Katy said on Twitter. She explained that when she’s feeling overwhelmed, she mostly just escapes to her car. She calls it her safe space, and I totally get that – sometimes you just need a place where you can be alone with your thoughts and feel a little bit better.

The model partnered with designer Kenneth Cole to support The Mental Health Coalition and discussed her personal struggles with anxiety on Good Morning America.

She remembered that after her panic attacks began happening again, she was finally able to find the information she needed to understand them.

You know, like everyone, I definitely have my ups and downs. Some days I feel great, other days anxiety really gets to me – it’s a constant ebb and flow. That’s actually a big reason why I wanted to get involved in this work. Ultimately, I just want people to know they’re not alone in what they’re going through. It’s about creating a sense of community and shared understanding.

The actor known for playing Black Adam has publicly discussed his struggles with depression and the challenges men often face when trying to talk about their mental well-being.

Everyone experiences difficult times and feelings of sadness – it doesn’t matter who you are. It took me a while to understand this, but it’s important to talk about what you’re going through. Men, especially, often keep their feelings bottled up, but remember you’re not alone in this.

Prince Harry helped reduce the shame around getting help for mental health by sharing his own experiences with therapy in an interview with the Telegraph. He explained that talking about his struggles made him realize many other people go through similar things, saying, “Once you start talking about it, you realize you’re not alone.”

The actress from Empire has publicly discussed her experiences with depression and strongly advocates for seeking professional help. She’s shared that she relies on therapy to cope, stating, “I have a therapist that I speak to. That’s the only way I can get through it.”

Taraji P. Henson founded The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to fight the stigma surrounding mental health within the Black community and to expand access to Black mental health professionals.

The Grammy-winning artist revealed she began a type of PTSD treatment using MDMA and psilocybin after struggling with an eating disorder and performance anxiety.

She told Rolling Stone in May 2025 that she was performing live without feeling nervous for the first time. She described a strange sensation – a feeling of pressure, almost like an altitude change – that she felt and noticed in the audience as well. This experience helped her understand how much she thrives on a strong, emotional connection with her listeners while performing her music.

She explained that prioritizing her mental health and stopping birth control helped her develop a broader understanding of her gender identity.

She explained that she decided to stop taking birth control because it felt like a break from societal expectations of how women should be. It might sound strange, she admitted, but she felt liberated and like she could explore new possibilities without those constraints. She believed this freedom allowed her to grow and change.

In 2017, the actress from Riverdale shared on Instagram that she battled with serious anxiety and depression in middle school, and that support from her family and a therapist was life-saving. She emphasized the importance of reaching out for help, stating that it’s the first step and that everyone has immense value.

The singer of “What He Didn’t Do” has spoken about her experiences living with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) over many years.

Carly shared on the August 2025 episode of Bunnie Xo’s Dumb Blonde podcast that her anxiety began around the time of her divorce during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she also revealed she’s struggled with severe OCD since childhood.

Over the past decade, I learned to suppress my feelings and cope on my own. But a couple of years ago, I realized I needed to go back to therapy and work through some things. It wasn’t something that started recently; I’ve actually been dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder since I was a child, around 6 or 7 years old.

The actress known for Frozen has openly discussed her mental health strategies for years, sharing them at public speaking events and on social media platforms like Instagram.

She encourages people to discover what works best for them, and, as she told Health magazine, this could involve things like medication, consciously focusing on ten positive aspects of life for every negative one, and regular exercise.

The cookbook author is a mother of four and has bravely shared her experiences with postpartum depression, a common but often unspoken struggle for new mothers.

She explained in a 2017 letter to Glamour that it became increasingly comfortable for her to talk about her experience. Her hope was to let others know that this could happen to anyone, and to help those going through it feel less ashamed and isolated.

While publicizing her book, Mirror, Mirror, the model shared with The Edit magazine that she struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts as a teenager, describing a feeling of “something dark” within her during that period.

Cara explained to the publication, as reported by W magazine, that she used to depend on love and other people for her happiness. She realized she needed to learn to find joy on her own, and after a long journey, she’s finally able to do just that.

Ariana Grande encouraged fans to prioritize their mental health after responding to a tweet asking about her therapist. She shared that therapy has been life-saving for her on multiple occasions.

She encouraged me not to be afraid to ask for help. She explained that I don’t have to live with constant pain and that it is possible to heal from trauma. While she acknowledged she had a long journey ahead, she said simply recognizing that healing is possible is a good first step.

The singer has openly shared her struggles and recovery related to addiction, mental health, and other personal challenges, and often incorporates these experiences into her songs.

She consistently encourages her followers to prioritize their mental well-being, emphasizing that it’s a continuous effort with inevitable setbacks. She previously shared on Instagram, “Just a reminder to anyone who’s struggling – life has its highs and lows, but it’s important to keep going.”

The actress has bravely tackled mental health both on-screen, like with her role as Rue in the show Euphoria, and in her personal life.

Zendaya revealed in 2013, through her old app, that she experienced anxiety following a difficult appearance on Ellen, where her microphone malfunctioned. She’s since found healthy ways to cope with those feelings, explaining that it’s sometimes necessary to take a break and reduce stress.

In a recent interview with WSJ Magazine, the singer openly discussed her struggles with mental health, explaining that she experienced extreme highs and lows that could leave her incapacitated for weeks.

I want to share something personal with you. I recently discovered I was dealing with some mental health challenges, and getting the right medication has honestly been life-changing. It’s amazing how much of a difference it can make, and I’m so grateful I found a solution that works for me. I truly believe prioritizing your mental wellbeing is key to living your best life.

The Grammy-winning artist dedicated herself to promoting kindness and openly discussing mental health, sharing her own experiences as well.

In 2018, while accepting a Global Changemakers Award at a fundraiser, she shared that she’d dealt with mental health challenges privately and publicly for a long time. She explained that she believes keeping those struggles hidden actually makes things worse.

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2026-03-10 19:19