Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Hollywood’s Secret Mental Health King: “Don’t Ever Beat Yourself Up”

Who expected Arnold Schwarzenegger to be Hollywood’s greatest mental health king? Netflix shined a light on the famed bodybuilder’s psyche with the release of his tell-all namesake docuseries earlier this year, but a recent viral tweet has proven that he’s been a mental health champion for years.

Since the start of Schwarzenegger’s career, he has been known for his hot bod and charming personality. He earned the titles of Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia while cultivating a career as a professional bodybuilder before taking up acting, and eventually, entering the world of politics. Though, he has also been the face of many controversies, including a sexual misconduct scandal and a messy divorce.

After years of laying low, Schwarzenegger made a triumphant return to Hollywood. This summer, Netflix gave him a double bill with the comedy series FUBAR — which received a rare, almost-immediate renewal for Season 2 — and a three-part docuseries.

The series showed a vulnerable side of Schwarzenegger, allowing him space to open up about his thoughts of inadequacy and his brother’s suicide, leaving me wondering if we misunderstood him all along.

On August 1, a tweet highlighting comments Schwarzenegger made five years ago went viral, in which he encouraged a fan to prioritize his mental health over going to the gym. “I know this is pandering but I’ve been depressed for months and haven’t hit the gym during that time,” wrote a Reddit user during an “Ask Me Anything” event. “Mr. Schwarzenegger, can you please tell me to get off my lazy ass and hit the gym? I swear to everything I hold dear that I will snap out of it and go.”

Addressing the request with poise and kindness, Schwarzenegger gave the mysterious user some beautiful advice. “I’m not going to be that hard on you,” he wrote. “Please don’t be that hard on yourself. We all go through challenges, we all go through failure. Sometimes life is a workout. But the key thing is you get up. You move a little. Roll out of bed and do some pushups or go for a walk. Just do something.”

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He continued, “One step at a time. I hope you feel better and get back to the gym. But don’t beat yourself up because that’s just useless talk. It doesn’t get you closer to the gym. And don’t be afraid to ask for help. Good luck.”

In light of the post resurfacing on Twitter, Schwarzenegger doubled down on his message, reminding his followers, “This is 5 years old, and it is still true. Don’t ever beat yourself up.”

In hindsight, it should be no surprise that Schwarzenegger is a fierce advocate for mental health given his past experiences. In the Netflix docuseries, he reflected on his father’s “schizophrenic” behavior and how it affected his late, older brother, who he described as more sensitive than himself. “He was very artistic. Very smart. Read a lot, but I don’t think my brother ever was really happy,” Schwarzenegger recalled in the series. “I think he started drinking because our upbringing was very tough.”

Schwarzenegger also highlighted his own warped sense of self, revealing that he sometimes struggles with low self-confidence and never felt “satisfied” with his body during past bodybuilding competitions. “I looked in the mirror and said to myself, “I don’t know how this shit body can ever win this competition,” he said.

The actor admitted that when he “brags” about himself, he isn’t being fully authentic. “… that’s all bullshit… It’s kind of like the other me I want the world to see. In reality, when I’m by myself, I look at it and I say to myself, ‘It’s not there yet. It’s not happening.’ It’s the very thing that made me always be on the edge and always want more.”

While Netflix did a great job peeling back Schwarzenegger’s layers, he seems to be doing a top-notch job doing so himself. Many relished the sincerity of his post in the comment section, praising his “great attitude” and much-needed message.

Thanks for the inspo, Schwarzy!