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Game of Thrones' George R.R. Martin opens up about his battle with depression

In a recent blog post, Tales of Dunk and Egg author Martin spoke to a year that has been "stressful, to say the least"

News by Grant DeArmitt, Staff Writer

Published on Thu Aug 06 2026

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George R.R. Martin is opening up about his struggles with depression, on his own terms. The Game of Thrones author, who has been in the spotlight ever since his work was adapted for HBO in 2011, recently posted a personal message detailing his struggles during a year that has been "stressful, to say the least."

Martin made the post to his official blog, the first message to not come from his assistants since February of this year.

"Some great things, exciting things," the Tales of Dunk & Egg author said of 2026, "Dreams coming true. But there have been nightmares too. I have lost friends. Battled sadness and depression. The worst may be yet to come. I turned seventy-seven last September, and I tell you, getting old is no fun. But there have been amazing times as well."

Previously, Martin has spoken about his struggles with outlets like The Hollywood Reporter. This most recent statement, however, comes directly from Martin himself. And before he ended it, Martin did point to one of those "dreams coming true" - that is, the nine Emmy nominations his show A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms recently nabbed - and more importantly, wrapped up by noting that his experience was not taking him by surprise.

"I suppose that’s just life," the author concluded on his blog, "Of course, I knew that. If you’ve read my stories, you know that."

Martin's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set to return with season 2 in 2027. If you or a loved one are dealing with depression, helpful resources are available on the National Institute of Mental Health's website.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 may have wrapped on HBO Max, but with House of the Dragon season 3 coming just around the corner, it's always a great time to read up on all things Game of Thrones. Fortunately, Popverse has everything you need to journey through the George R.R. Martin-created Westeros, including:

Plus much more coming as it gets announced!

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Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.