Randy Orton feeling like himself again after being in ‘dark place’ with panic attacks

While appearing on Stephanie McMahon’s “What’s Your Story?” podcast, Randy Orton opened up about a mental health struggle he went through that left him in a dark place.

Orton battled panic attacks during the time surrounding his back injury and subsequent double fusion surgery in 2022. For six months, Orton thought his career in the ring was over. He was left feeling overwhelmed and struggling with what his identity would be without the one thing he was good at and brought him respect.

“I started kind of like getting in my head, and this is after I met [his wife] Kim, and I had three stepsons, and I have two daughters, and I kind of got overwhelmed,” Orton said. “And I started getting, I don’t even really want to get into this, but I don’t even give a f*ck. What the hell? We all are human. Like, I was having panic attacks, and it started to become hard to fly. It started to become hard to stay in another bed. And I would be like 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 like the one thing I know that I’m good at and I get respect for. And I can’t do it anymore.”

The ordeal brought back some of the bad habits that haunted Orton early in his career. But with help from his wife, he was able to get medical treatment to improve the situation.

“I got to like 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,” Orton said. “She saw it happening and I was put on some SSRIs. It’s like an 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, Steph, because like — I can’t believe I’m talking about this. I just, I didn’t know if I could do this job anymore even after I came back.”

Orton spent 18 months out of action with the back injury between May 2022 and November 2023. Though it was originally feared that he would never be able to wrestle again, Orton met a great doctor who was able to perform his fusion surgery in a way where he would be able to return and be an athlete.

During the depths of his struggles, Orton was unable to sleep at night and found himself walking around his yard. But it’s now been about six months since Orton last had a panic attack.

“My head was just going — it was like 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 and then all of a sudden I’d get like hot and I’d have to get out of bed. And then I’d be like, everyone’s sleeping in the house and I’m out walking around our yard, just taking deep breaths. And I met an amazing doctor and she gave me just pages and pages of information on how to deal with panic attacks and stuff.

“I don’t know that the medication ever worked, but it made me feel not myself. So I didn’t like the medication, but I kept taking it because I thought that, well, I need to take this because if I don’t, I’m going to have panic attacks. I was having them anyway, you know? And like honestly, it’s been, gosh, what is it? June. It’s like coming on six months since I’ve had a panic attack.”

The 45-year-old Orton was reluctant to talk about the struggles he went through — especially given the character he plays on TV — but it helped him to know that he wasn’t alone and other people were facing similar issues. He feels like he’s in a good place now.

Orton signed a new five-year contract with WWE in 2024. After his career almost ended prematurely due to injury, Orton is appreciating every moment he gets to spend in the ring — and he would even love to sign another five-year deal once this contract is up.

The full episode of “What’s Your Story?” can be watched below: