David Nail Opens Up About Decade of ‘Deep Depression’

David Nail is speaking out about his struggle with depression. The Missouri native, who went public with his private battle after his latest single, 'Whatever She's Got,' soared to the top of the charts, says it's something he has quietly dealt with for most of his adult life.

"I lived probably 10 years in a really, really deep depression," he reveals to People magazine. "Growing up in a small town, it was one of those things that you don't talk about and you try to sweep it under the rug."

The 34-year-old admits he felt conflicted that both his personal and professional life were going so well, yet he felt such intense sadness.

"I carried around a lot of guilt because I had all these blessings in my life and yet I was still struggling to try to find some joy," he acknowledges. "I'd be first to admit that I wasn't always the easiest guy to be around."

After "bottoming out," as Nail describes it, he finally realized his depression was something he couldn't deal with on his own, and got professional help.

"I'm a singer, not a doctor," the tunesmith says. "I decided it was time to seek out help, so I made some changes and leaned on other people rather than trying to figure it out all by myself, which is what I had done for years."

Now on the right track, thanks to therapy and medicine, he says he is doing better than ever, which is reflected on his latest album, 'I'm a Fire.'

"In the few months leading up to the record, I found an inner peace and good place that I hadn't seen in a long, long time," he says. "As a result of that, the music began to feel how I felt personally. It's brighter, it's bigger, it has more tempo. The lyrics are more positive than in records past."

Nail also credits his wife of almost five years, Catherine, with helping him through his debilitating depression.

“She’s just been there,” he acknowledges. “And there have been so many moments where I wouldn’t have blamed her for leaving. I think she always believed there was a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. … She’s just a trooper. She’s the first to admit it’s a contract we signed through thick and thin, through sickness and health — ‘I’m in this committed … ’til death do us part.’”

Nail's latest single, 'Kiss You Tonight,' from 'I'm a Fire,' is steadily climbing the charts. Download the album here.