Boxer Ryan Garcia has no regrets sharing his struggles with Mental Health.

#NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline #SuicidePrevention

Garcia -- who's ramping up for his in-ring return in April ---was asked by TMZ what the response has been like since stepping away from boxing because he was battling depression and having suicidal thoughts. 

"Boxing fans are a little bit more harsh than say, if you're a singer," Garcia says. "Even in the NFL or NBA, if you come out, maybe you'll get a better response. But, I guess for boxing, you gotta be as tough as you can be."

Ryan tells TMZ the long layoff led some boxing fans to question his toughness -- something he says is never in question when he steps inside the squared circle.

"It's been tough just hearing all these things about me, all these opinions on why, or what's the truth on the reasoning on why I'm not fighting," Ryan says. "I gotta hear about myself and character."

The silver lining is, Garcia says for all the hate and criticism he's received for his transparency, a lot of athletes, influencers, and even people on the street have reached out to him ... commending him on speaking up before it was too late.

Garcia's also got a Snapchat series coming out on mental health ... where he'll interview guests on the topic -- and he tells us it's releasing before or after his upcoming fight on April 9.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.