Dr Oz: Rick Springfield Depression Cure = Meditation

Dr Oz: Rick Springfield’s Addiction

Dr Oz talked with rock star Rick Springfield about his depression triggers and suicide attempt. Next, the conversation returned to Rick Springfield’s addiction. He admitted using an addiction as a coping mechanism, comparing it to a drug. He also shared his unique depression cure and explained why he thinks it works.

He also confessed to Dr Oz that he cheated on his wife. Now he says he is grateful for her support and is doing everything he can to show her that he values their relationship. “We’re together because of her strength,” Rick said.

Dr Oz: Rick Springfield Cheated on His Wife

Dr Oz wondered whether this was the singer acting out and attempting to sabotage his life. Rick said that may be part of it, but he also struggled with hedonistic impulses as a young musician. After growing up never being able to get a date, he was overwhelmed by all the attention he received.

“At 17 it was pretty awesome, but at 60, it’s kind of lame that I would do that,” he admitted. “And it has taken me a long time to wake up.” He said that he has gotten the message now, at age 63 (he doesn’t look 63–Dr Oz should ask him about his anti-aging regimen), though his last indiscretion was years ago after a performance in Las Vegas.

Dr Oz: Rick Springfield’s Wife Barbara

Rick said that it’s painful for him and his wife to revisit his bad behavior, but it really makes him take stock of how much she has invested in their relationship. How does Barbara deal with his moodiness? Rick said that she is affected by his moods, but he suggested that she knew what she was getting into when she married him.

Dr Oz: Depression Brain Scan

Dr Oz showed Rick and the audience a comparison of a normal, happy brain, compared to a depressed brain. Colors of orange and yellow on the scan indicated happiness, and were hard to find in the depressed brain.

“See that dark stuff there? That’s where the songs come from,” Rick joked.

Depression can teach you many lessons about life, Dr Oz said, and there are many ways to deal with the condition depending on what works for an individual patient.

Rick Springfield: Depression Cure

Regular meditation are Rick’s best coping mechanisms in his lifelong battle against depression. “If you don’t meditate, it’s really great,” he said. “When you truly let go of everything, there is no room for depression.”

Dr Oz agreed that meditation can be a great tool for patients. Other creative outlets, such as art, have also been successful therapies.

Writing and hugging a dog are a couple of Rick’s other preferred means of dealing with his emotions. He has tried to wean himself off antidepressants, and is learning how to better recognize his behavioral patterns.

Robert Stein: Rick Springfield’s Therapy

Renowned therapist Robert Stein, who has since passed away, helped Rick break through in therapy after his exit from the music world in the mid-’80s.

In a clip from the new documentary An Affair of the Heart, a fan expressed her thanks to Rick for raising awareness about suicide and depression. The woman said her mother introduced her to Rick’s music, which is a positive memory for her in the wake of her mother’s suicide.