George R.R. Martin has revealed he battled depression over the past year, describing 2026 as "stressful" and "overwhelming" despite several professional highs. In a personal blog post, the Game of Thrones author and House of the Dragon co-creator said he had lost friends and struggled with sadness, adding ominously that "the worst may be yet to come" as he approaches his 78th year.

Martin, who turned 77 last September, said the post was his first self-written update in six months, with recent blog entries having been written by his assistants. Among the year's highlights he cited were nine Emmy nominations for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, including best drama, the sold-out opening run of the stage production Game of Thrones: The Mad King at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and a well-received third season of House of the Dragon. He also touched on his ongoing struggle to complete The Winds of Winter, the long-delayed sixth novel in his A Song of Ice and Fire series, which he has been writing for more than a decade.