Danny Pintauro was once a familiar face in homes across America, best known as the sweet, wide-eyed Jonathan Bower from the classic sitcom Who’s the Boss? He starred alongside Tony Danza, Judith Light, and Alyssa Milano. But before that, he was already making waves as a child actor, playing Paul Ryan on As the World Turns at just six years old.
Danny is now 49, but he’s still finding ways to connect, even now that he’s out of the spotlight, especially when things get overwhelming. In a recent TikTok video, he offered a vulnerable glimpse into how he’s doing, lip-syncing to a viral audio about anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and emotional exhaustion.
“It’s okay not to be okay.” Danny Pintauro’s struggles with mental health
@dannypintauro And obnoxious neighbors, and people not returning my emails or messages, and no orders, and sinuses, and the news…. No live today friends. Just need a mental health nap. 😴 #mentalhealth #nap #anxiety #adhd #generationaltrauma ♬ original sound – JIANNE
Recently, while lying in bed with tired eyes and a heavy heart, Danny mouthed along to a trending sound that speaks to what many feel but don’t always say out loud. From anxiety and ADHD to PTSD, caffeine overload, and even generational trauma, he listed it all.
In the caption, he explained further: no live stream today, just a mental health nap. The pressure, the noise, the people not replying, even the sinuses, it had all piled up. And instead of pretending to power through, he chose to rest. These days, his platform is all about being real.
Fans encourage Danny Pintauro and tell him he’s not alone
Comments started coming in, not with judgment but with empathy. “You’re not alone,” one person wrote. Others sent encouragement and the kind of love that made a person truly feel they mattered. It was nostalgic.
Danny has long been open about his journey, from publicly coming out to revealing his HIV-positive status on Oprah’s Where Are They Now? in 2015. Since then, he has become an advocate for HIV awareness and mental health education, believing that storytelling and visibility can indeed change lives. He once worked as a vet tech, building a life outside the industry. And now, with every post, he reminds people that healing doesn’t always look shiny; sometimes, it just looks like a nap.