‘I’m having a stroke’: Carson Daly’s on-air medical emergency

Prolific US TV host Carson Daly has opened up about a terrifying medical condition that’s plagued him during his many live TV appearances.

Carson Daly on MTV's Total Request Live.

Carson Daly opened up this week about how he came to terms with his mental health after suffering a panic attack on Total Request Live.

“One September day, I thought I was going to die,” he recalled while speaking at the recent gala for Project Health Minds, the non-profit organisation where he is a member of the board of directors.

The host’s moving speech about the “unusual” experience was shared this week by the The Today Show.

“I was in my dressing room and I could sense all the normal live buzz of the show before it went on,” Daly said. “I could hear the crowd outside. I could hear horns honking, normal Total Request chaos, very usual.”

Carson Daly in his days as host of TRL.

Speaking out about his experiences this week. Picture: Getty

“In my dressing room I felt what I can describe as a snap in my brain,” he explained. “My heart started to race and fear went through my body like I was a kid and wouldn’t let go.”

The Today host recalled that he could see his producer at the time speaking to him, but he felt like he couldn’t hear him. “It looked like he was talking in slo-mo. I was literally leaving reality,” he said.

“I thought, ‘My God, I’m having a stroke in front of Hanson,’” he added, referring to the popular ’90s boy band. “It passed in 30 seconds, but it felt like 30 minutes.”

Daly candidly revealed that he felt “absolutely terrified” that it would “happen again at any moment.” He took it as a sign to check on his health and went to visit a doctor, who told him that it was likely triggered by stress and anxiety.

Daly hosting The Voice, where he suffered another scary panic attack.

He later revealed that the second time he experienced a panic attack was while presenting on The Voice. “Not a good time to lose your s**t,” he joked.

“It was time to start working on myself. And over the years, I put in the work to manage and, ultimately, admire my anxiety,” he said. “I learned to manage it with a regimen that smart people help me, meditation, breathing, taking a cold plunge, focusing on working hard for my family, and taking my meds.”

He jokingly added that he began taking “the prescribed kind” of medicine, “Not the kinds from Snoop [Dogg].”

The television host expressed in his speech that he hopes to work with Project Healthy Minds, an organisation that aims to connect people in need with the right mental health resources, to build “a world where everyone knows that mental health isn’t something to hide from, but a journey to take openly. And a journey where you’ll find support along the way.”

This story originally appeared on Decider and is republished here with permission.

Originally published as ‘I’m having a stroke’: Carson Daly’s on-air medical emergency