SNL’s Bowen Yang Says He ‘Powered Through’ His Mental Health ‘Rough Patch’ After ‘Bad Bouts of Depersonalization’

Bowen Yang is giving an update on his mental health after sharing his struggles with fans this summer.

During the 2023 American Museum of Natural History Gala on Thursday, Saturday night live The 33-year-old star spoke to PageSix and said he’s doing much better since having “bad bouts of depersonalization.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, depersonalization is a psychological condition in which a person regularly feels that they are having an out-of-body experience and that their surroundings are not real.

“My mental health is great,” the comedian told the paper.

“It’s very good,” he said. “I had a very difficult period and people were very patient with me. It’s hard, but you know, I got through. I passed.”

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Bowen Yang at the 2023 American Museum of Natural History Gala.

Bryan Bedder/Variety via Getty Images

Yang first discussed his struggles with mental health in July, announcing that he was taking a short break from his Las Culturistas podcast.

“A very short break from [Las Culturistas]. Bad bouts of depersonalization bother me a lot, but I’m doing my best to get better! Take care, be soon,” he wrote on his Instagram Story.

After a three-week hiatus, Yang explained his absence by saying he had problems with the anti-depressant Wellbutrin. The drug is often used to improve mood and sense of well-being.

“So I was on Wellbutrin and — full transparency — I got a low dose of Adderall just to help with the trip, to help me adjust to the hours,” said Yang, who was in the middle of filming Wicked when he announced his hiatus from the podcast.

“Does not work”, Nora from Queens the actor explained. “I was talking to some friends last night about how Wellbutrin really doesn’t help a lot of people. And if it works for you, God bless you. But Wellbutrin is not for me.”

Bowen Yang Says He’ll Walk Away from His Podcast Due to ‘Bad Depersonalization Attacks’

Bowen Yang. Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

Although he’s back on his podcast, Yang emphasized that he’s continuing his journey toward better understanding his mental health.

“This is a journey of self-discovery that we’re on, at least for me,” Yang said at the time. “We’ll leave it at that.”

The Fire island actor has been vocal about his private life in the past, opening up about his parents sending him to gay therapy as a teenager to PEOPLE for the 2021 edition of Sexiest Man Alive.

“There was a great chasm of misunderstanding,” Yang said. “Neither side really understood where the other was coming from, and that overall led to very dangerous situations.”

“What was always constant was the intention of love on both sides,” he added. “It made me question what that means, what is protected and what I should be protective of in terms of being a queer person. I don’t take it for granted.”

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Source: HIS Education