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Rugby star opens up about his depression By Catherine Walker

Rugby star opens up about his depression By Catherine Walker

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Rugby star opens up about his depression By Catherine Walker

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  1. Rugby star opens up about his depression By Catherine Walker How refreshing to read on Independent.ie that the Irish rugby ace Alan Quinlan has spoken publicly for the first time about his experience of depression. He is to talk at a series of regional events on mental health next week and he says that he hit ‘the bottom of the barrel’ and that he had suicidal thoughts………. The initial problem was not asking others for help and being unwilling to talk about how he felt. ‘There’s a bit of a stigma attached to men going to the doctor and asking for a bit of help or even opening up to friends and family members. It’s not the done thing in Ireland. But if you have a toothache you go to the dentist. Yet if you’re feeling low down people here tend not to talk about it. I was, ‘well, I can solve all my own problems and look after myself’. That’s not the way to do it. You have to reach out and ask for some help.’ He admitted.

  2. “THE HIDDEN ILLNESS” MENTAL HEALTH IN RUGBY

  3. Andrew flintoff – the hidden side of sport

  4. By the 2015 Rugby World Cup Rugby Union has a comprehensive understanding of mental health issues amongst players, and the associated risks. Rugby Union facilitates education and support in relation to the mental health of players better than any other sport in world.

  5. This is a risk or causative factor LONELINESS This is magnified in an elite rugby environment by: PLAYERS LIVING IN THE RUGBY BUBBLE AND NOT DEVELOPING / NURTURING EXTERNAL NETWORKS AND RELATIONSHIPS.

  6. “When you are alone that’s when the beast that lies within rears its head and gets to you.” -Duncan Bell, former English and Bath prop.

  7. This is a risk or causative factor LACK OF SOCIAL SUPPORT This is limited in an elite rugby environment by: NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES SURROUNDING POOR MENTAL HEALTH ABSENCE OF EDUCATION AND HELP TO BUILD EMOTIONAL SKILLS IN PLAYERS

  8. “My only regret is not seeking help sooner” -Adam Byrne, Russian and Melbourne Rebels lock “I was sitting in the dressing room as this fella who will drag everyone with him, if I had turned round and said, "Look lads, I'm really struggling", it would have sent shock waves. So I thought I shouldn't.” -Andrew Flintoff, Former English cricketer

  9. This is a risk or causative factor RECENT STRESSFUL LIFE EXPERIENCES This is magnified in an elite rugby environment by: LACK OF AWARENESS & UNDERSTANDING BY PLAYERS TO SEEK SUPPORT

  10. “My natural reaction was to treat the problem as I do my kicking, work it out and keep working on it until you do. But by focussing so intensely, I just made it worse.” - Johnny Wilkinson, English rugby flyhalf “I guess I never told anyone about the pain I was going through because I didn’t understand it myself. It made no sense to me that I felt so bad. How could I explain something I couldn’t understand?” - Marcus Trescothick, former English cricketer.

  11. This is a risk or causative factor FAMILY HISTORY OF DEPRESSION This is magnified in an elite rugby environment by: NO SCREENING OR INDUCTION IN PLACE TO INDENTIFY AT RISK PLAYERS WHO ARE PREDISPOSED TO MENTAL ILLNESS, OF WHICH MAY MANIFEST IN A HIGH PRESSURE COMPETITIVE RUGBY ENVIRONMENT

  12. “I always looked at it as something that happened to “other people”, What I’ve learnt over time is that any of us can become depressed given the wrong mix of experiences.” Clyde Rathbone, Former Wallaby winger.

  13. This is a risk or causative factor MARITAL OR RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS This is magnified in an elite rugby environment by: Time away from home training/ touring / playing Living arrangements / sacrifices may be forced upon family. Succumbing to temptations

  14. “In the deepest of my depression my marriage began failing, I became short tempered and verbally abusive to my wife, I completely neglected her and her needs. - Clyde Rathbone, Former Wallaby winger.

  15. This is a risk or causative factor • FINANCIAL STRAIN • This is magnified in an elite rugby environment by: • Loss of income due to non-selection / injury. • Post career when player has become used to having a certain level of income that is not attainable upon retirement. • Divorce / alimony • Failed investments

  16. NZRPA PAST PLAYER RESEARCH PROJECT 48% of players said that retirement occurred un-expectantly 46 % had been unemployed at some stage since retiring

  17. Average Annual Income Change Upon Retirement from Professional Rugby -NZRPA Retired Player Research Project 2011

  18. This is a cause or risk factor ALCOHOL OR DRUG ABUSE This is magnified in an elite rugby environment by: Rugby environments provide easy access, and social opportunities to consume alcohol as it is often a sponsorship product and used as a means of developing team sociability. Young people doing what young people do

  19. NZRPA PAST PLAYER RESEARCH PROJECT 23% OF PLAYERS EXPERIENCED ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE

  20. '‘Drinking alcohol was the only way I could get to sleep. particularly between 2002 and 2004 as I trained to defend my Olympic titles in Athens, that I abused myself this way - always alone and in a mist of disgrace'' - Ian Thorpe, 5 x Olympic gold medallist “If you are suffering from depression and then you add drink to it, it's like a runaway train,' At the end of the night you are sat in the corner of the pub sobbing.” - Ricky Hatton, Professional Boxer

  21. This is a cause or risk factor UNEMPLOYMENT OR UNDEREMPLOYMENT This is magnified in an elite rugby environment by: LOSS OF CONTRACT NOT GETTING GAME TIME FORCED RETIREMENT

  22. “You could see the world of professional sport as not a particularly healthy one. You play, train, travel. You are focused almost to the point of being obsessed about what you do. You get the total sense of personal identity from your sport. When things are going well that's OK. When they are not it's challenging to your personal identity.” -Steve Bull, Psychologist

  23. This is a cause or risk factor HEALTH PROBLEMS OR CHRONIC PAIN This is magnified in an elite rugby environment by: ILLNESS & INJURY WEAR AND TEAR

  24. NZRPA PAST PLAYER RESEARCH PROJECT Players averaged 14 major injuries (Out for 1 month or more or hospitalised for 1 night) during their career. 43% of players who retired due to injury experienced depression or feelings of despair 73% of former professional players hid an injury from medical staff in order to play

  25. “He explained the illness was controlling everything else and that was far more important to deal with than the injury I had. I was referred to a therapist and he explained the illness was the cause of my depression and my panic attacks — and that it had a cure — he assured me I wasn’t doomed.” - Johnny Wilkinson, English rugby flyhalf

  26. So>>>>> We focus a lot on the physical health of the player but…. A significant number of players will experience mental health issues, during and /or after their playing career…and the implications can be as severe, if not more severe, than a physical injury….. As a game do we want to lead the sporting world in dealing with this challenge? If so how do we do this?

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