CJ Perry is opening up about how troublesome life grew to become after stepping away from WWE, and it wasn’t merely a matter of lacking the highlight. The previous Lana says she went via years of psychological well being struggles whereas making an attempt to regulate to life with out the adrenaline rush of performing in entrance of large crowds. Now, she’s explaining why strolling away from that feeling grew to become one of many largest private challenges of her life.
Talking on Nick Membership Wrestling Pleased Hour, Perry was requested why she determined to jot down a fictional spy novel as an alternative of following the normal wrestler autobiography route. Her reply shortly was a a lot deeper dialogue about how a lot her life has modified since leaving WWE.
Perry defined that she isn’t prepared to jot down a memoir as a result of she nonetheless has extra of her private story to expertise. She additionally revealed that she and Rusev have labored via a number of points of their marriage lately, whereas she has targeted on changing into a special particular person emotionally.
“I’m so fortunate and so blessed and so, so grateful to have performed so many issues in my life, however I simply, you understand, inside my private life, I nonetheless wished I wished to develop extra, you understand? And I had I’ve resolved so many issues with my husband over the past couple years, and I’ve grown a lot from leaving WWE until now. Like, I’m a special particular person.”
That’s when Perry admitted that her psychological well being had been notably troublesome to handle throughout sure intervals of her life.
“I’m actually, actually a special particular person. I’ve actually targeted on my psychological well being. I There have been a pair years that I used to be very manic with my psychological well being, and I used to be actually struggling.”
Perry defined that one of many hardest issues about leaving WWE was shedding the sensation that got here with performing stay. She described the frenzy of showing in entrance of huge crowds as one thing that was nearly unattainable to recreate exterior skilled wrestling.
“Uh I really feel like as a performer, you understand, there’s no better excessive that you just get, no better adrenaline rush and dopamine hit that you just get than whenever you’re performing stay.”
She went additional, explaining that WWE offered an expertise so intense that she nonetheless will get goosebumps simply eager about it.
“And I To have the ability to do it at such a excessive stage in WWE, there’s There’s actually no greater stage, you understand? You’re performing in entrance of 100,000 individuals, and so they’re both booing you or cheering you, and that’s like Simply eager about I get goosebumps. And it’s simply an instantaneous adrenaline rush that actually no drug will ever fulfill.”
Nonetheless, Perry ultimately realized that always chasing that feeling wasn’t essentially wholesome for her. She needed to discover a solution to construct a satisfying life with out relying on the joy of performing inside a WWE ring.
“And so, I actually needed to go on a journey to seek out happiness with out it. As a result of you understand, it’s sort of it’s really like chasing a drug. And so, should you’re going to maintain on chasing and chasing it, like possibly your time has simply that chapter is over.”
Perry defined that her aim grew to become appreciating what she had achieved as an alternative of permitting the will for extra to eat her. She wished to recollect her WWE profession with gratitude moderately than frustration over what she now not had.
“And what a good looking factor that I used to be in a position to expertise such great issues in a decade of my life. And I wished to have the ability to keep in mind that time fondly as an alternative of like, ‘No, I need extra. I need extra. I need extra.’”
She additionally mentioned the significance of accepting that sure chapters ultimately finish, even when somebody nonetheless has ambitions and goals they haven’t achieved.
“And I wished to look again on that point fondly and gratefully and gracefully evolve into the subsequent chapter.”
Perry’s private adjustments have prolonged past her wrestling profession. She mentioned her journey towards having youngsters with Rusev, her deal with psychological well being, and the way sobriety has helped her really feel extra comfy attending Hollywood events and trade occasions with out consuming.
“After which even in my journey of sobriety. And it’s so enjoyable to have the ability to go to any events in Hollywood and be sober and have a good time. Like that took me a second there, you understand?”
She mentioned she just lately attended a number of occasions and realized how far more comfy she had turn into together with her new way of life.
“Man, I’m so grateful. I’m so current. I’m having such time being sober and displaying up as my finest self and being current.”
As Ringside Information beforehand lined, Perry opened up about her sobriety in November 2025, when she revealed that she had stopped consuming and was specializing in her psychological well being. She has additionally mentioned how overcoming codependency and dealing on herself helped rebuild her relationship with Rusev.
Wanting again, Perry believes she’s made vital progress in comparison with the place she was even a yr in the past. She acknowledged that she beforehand skilled frequent temper swings however now feels higher outfitted to handle her feelings.
“And likewise like no, I don’t have as many temper swings. I used to be such a moody particular person. And that’s regular. I’m an artist. However to have the ability to have a deal with on my feelings and simply I’m very grateful for.”
Perry may nonetheless be thinking about returning to WWE sometime, however she’s now not treating skilled wrestling as the one factor able to making her comfortable. After years of chasing the adrenaline of performing, she’s discovering satisfaction in a special sort of life. And judging by the whole lot she shared, studying to understand what she already skilled has been simply as essential as determining what comes subsequent.
What do you concentrate on CJ Perry’s expertise adjusting to life after WWE, and will extra wrestlers converse brazenly in regards to the emotional challenges that include leaving the enterprise? Tell us within the feedback.
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