Kit Harington's Mental Health After Game Of Thrones Was Worse Than Most Fans Knew

The following article covers topics of mental health and addiction

In the years since he played Jon Snow on "Game of Thrones," Kit Harington has been extremely open about how the show's divisive ending impacted him. When the series concluded in 2019, the actor checked into a treatment center, citing unhealthy alcohol use and his mental health. He's been quite outspoken about the process, sharing details about his recovery and how the "Game of Thrones" ending affected him.

During an episode of Ben Branson's podcast "The Hidden 20%" — which bears the title "Kit Harington: I'm a good dad because I'm sober'" — Harington candidly discussed how the role of Jon Snow took a toll on him. He explained that his quick rise to fame meant he constantly "tried to project this image of utter sophistication and coolness about what I was doing, but genuinely being sort of terrified about everything."

"That is a dangerous rabbit hole to fall down because you find all of the bad stuff that people are saying as well as the nice stuff," Harington concluded, seemingly referencing the negative reviews for "Game of Thrones" Season 8.

Throughout his talk with Ben Branson, Kit Harington opened up about his sobriety journey — and the mental health diagnosis that changed everything for him. 

While discussing his time in rehab in 2019, he said, "I realized that my life was hinging on this. Luckily, it was the right place at the right time. I managed to forge a new life from there." That said, it certainly wasn't a smooth ride; Harrington admitted he "entered rehab drunk, sobered up in there, and went, 'F*** this, not you guys in a circle. No, thank you.'"

"And I left that pretty quick and said, 'I'll try to deal with this by myself,' which didn't work after about four years," he concluded.

Harington also told Branson that he was diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, while in treatment in 2019. The two candidly discussed the challenges of parenting as a neurodivergent person. Harington said that his sobriety has helped him be the best possible father to the two children he shares with former "Game of Thrones" co-star Rose Leslie, but he sometimes feels the effects of his ADHD while playing with them. "My head wants to go to every other thing in the room at once," he said.

"Game of Thrones: The Last Watch," the documentary about the final stretch of the series, highlights how Kit Harington had a rough time when the show came to a close. During a final table read alongside Emilia Clarke, the actor is visibly emotional when he realizes Jon Snow kills Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen in the series finale, bursting into tears as she sadly nods from across the table. 

Later, as Harington shoots his last scene and officially wraps as Jon Snow, he sheds more tears and delivers an emotional speech. "I feel like my heart is breaking. I love this show," the actor says in the documentary. "More than, I think, anything. It has never been a job for me. It's been my life, and this will always be the greatest thing I'll ever do and be a part of, and you have been just my family. I love you for it, and thank you so much."

Harington began portraying Jon Snow in his early 20s, so, understandably, he was emotional over "Game of Thrones" ending — but still, it's clear that the actor took it extremely hard when it came time to leave the character behind. 

So what has Kit Harington been doing since "Game of Thrones" ended? As he noted, he took some time away from acting, but he still saw fit to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2021 with "The Eternals," playing Dane Whitman, aka the Black Knight. In 2023, the actor appeared on the Apple TV+ original miniseries "Extrapolations" alongside Daveed Diggs and Sienna Miller. He's set to return to HBO this year as a new player on its critically beloved series "Industry" as Henry Muck, the CEO of an eco-friendly tech company.

Beyond that, rumors have been flying for quite some time that Harington will return to Westeros for a Jon Snow-centered "Game of Thrones" spin-off, which is one of many franchise projects in various stages of development (alongside "House of the Dragon" and the forthcoming "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge King"). As of this writing, it hasn't been officially green-lit, but if it happens, Harrington could hopefully play the character in a better frame of mind.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.