Former ABC anchor T.J. Holmes recently opened up about his private struggles with his mental health for several years.
His girlfriend, formerly his co-worker at ABC’s GMA3, also witnessed Holmes’ “four-year deterioration.”
During their recent episode of the Amy & T.J. Podcast, Holmes spoke about getting diagnosed with “moderately severe depression” in 2015.
He shared that initially, he didn’t address his diagnosis by getting prescribed anti-depressants or going to therapy.
“I just let it fester, and you were a witness to, like, a four-year deterioration of mine,” Holmes said to Robach, adding, “And you didn’t even realize what was going on.”
She also spoke about being worried and wanting to help Holmes despite not fully knowing his situation.
Robach said she was ‘worried’ about Holmes
During their March 19 podcast, Robach said she was “worried” about Holmes as she could tell something was happening.
“You don’t have a poker face. When you are upset or sad or whatever, it is palpable. It’s all over. It’s not just your face. It’s your body. It’s how you carry yourself. Everything changes and shifts,” she shared.
The former ABC anchor said she couldn’t help Holmes, and she realized that he would have to decide to change things to address his mental health.
“I tried, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to pull yourself up,” Robach said.
She shared that Holmes needed to “shift and change” by reaching out to friends, a therapist, or being prescribed medication.
Holmes said he finally addressed mental health ‘head-on’
Holmes said it was “almost too late” once he finally started to address his mental health situation.
“I spent nights literally on the streets of New York. I’ve spent nights sleeping and sitting on a bench in midtown. I’ve spent nights just walking up and down just because I didn’t want to be home and I didn’t have it together,” he shared.
He revealed that he eventually got to a much better place with his mental health. He credited professionals and incorporating exercise into his life.
Running is part of his exercise routine, and Robach regularly enjoys it with him. They spoke about how a study determined that running was a “form of therapy to treat depression” for a group of test subjects.
They recently participated in the Road Runners’ United Airlines New York City Half Marathon with thousands of other runners.
According to the official New York Road Runners half marathon results, Robach finished in 1:57:02, and Holmes was right there with her, finishing in 1:57:03.
During a previous episode of their podcast, Robach and Holmes spoke about the aftermath of their situation involving their secret romance and job situation with ABC.
While they worked for ABC and co-hosted the afternoon program GMA3: What You Need to Know, photos and stories surfaced suggesting they were involved in a scandalous affair, as they were each married at the time.
It ultimately resulted in more headlines, a suspension from their on-air jobs with ABC, and eventually, being let go by the network.
The aftermath and drama of their situation took a toll, as Holmes previously admitted to “pounding vodka and weed edibles” to cope. It got to the point that Robach performed a wellness check to make sure he was OK after he wasn’t responding to her messages.
Robach and Holmes have since moved beyond the drama and, a year after their situation with ABC, started their Amy & T.J. Podcast. They have continued dating, as they’ve also finalized divorces from their former spouses.