Last week saw the tragic news of Gary Speed’s suicide. The shock of his death highlighted the stigma and lack of understanding of mental health in sport. There’s been a lot of talk around football and depression since this, with Stan Collymore bravely tweeting about his struggle, explaining how his “body had been drained of any life”, and encouraging others to seek support. Despite his frequent battle with the illness, he remains positive, “If, like me, you've been there many times before, know this..It's bloody dark but the clouds ALWAYS lift”.
Depression and other mental illnesses are often underreported or overlooked in sport. I guess one of the reasons may be that people focus so much on the physical aspect of exercise, and the physical strength and endurance needed to be a good athlete. But any good sportsman will tell you that the mental game is just as important as the physical in competitive arenas. But depression isn’t about a lack of mental strength either. It is not a weakness. It is an illness, and it is not something you can control. Would you be reluctant to seek help for cancer? For meningitis? No, but a response I’m often met with is, ‘That’s different, because they’re life-threatening’. I think recent events illustrate that depression is too. And it’s not just ‘in your head’. It’s in your body, your brain, and your blood. It is a physical illness just as much as a mental one. It hurts just as much and at worst it is disabling and debilitating. You don’t have to have experienced a traumatic life event to experience a mental illness; a common misconception which often leads to stigmatised remarks such as “What have you got to be depressed about? Your life is well good!”, or “There are people a lot worse off than you”. What Gary Speed and Stan Collymore have proved is that you can have all the money in the world, all the fame, family, friends, luck, whatever, but you can still fall ill. Just like how you can eat your greens and wear a scarf outside but still catch a cold. There are protective factors that might reduce your risk, but the reality is, just like many other physical problems, depression isn’t a logical illness.
The most at risk population for suicide is males aged 20-24. One of the main reasons is the reluctance of this group to seek help, because of the assumption that ‘men don’t cry’ and the pressure to be ‘macho’. But no-one can be expected to recover on their own. It is not something that just goes away. It takes an amazing amount of courage to confront a problem, so to seek help is far from cowardly. Some people also fear that if they confide in someone, they will be forced into taking medication, and they will get a ‘black mark’ on their record which will be frowned upon by employers. This is not the case. Firstly, there is a wealth of support out there. You can choose who you seek help from, and what route to take from there. You will still remain completely in control. Secondly, you are not required to disclose anything about your mental health to future employers. You don’t need a diagnosis to seek help, and even if you do get a diagnosis, it doesn’t have to be a part of your identity. It is just like being diagnosed with flu or any other physical illness.
So if you’re feeling low, you’re worrying a lot, or if you’re generally struggling with anything day to day, please don’t feel like you can’t accept support. You are not mad, you are not weak; you are just human, and we all need a little help from time to time.
For extra reading, check out the ‘secret footballer’ who writes for the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/25/the-secret-footballer
Some support that you might find useful:
University Student Counselling, 19 Clarendon Place, 0113 343 4107- for stress, worry, and mild mental health problems
University Student Mental Health Advisor, Equality Service, 0113 343 7458 - for emerging mental illnesses, and moderate-severe & enduring mental health conditions. Offers practical support for recovery.
Student Advice, Leeds University Union, advice@luu.leeds.ac.uk - Help with mitigating circumstances and practical problems that may affect your well-being, such as money and housing.
Your GP. If you are not registered already, pop along to Leeds Student Medical Practice at 4 Blenheim Court.
Nightline, 0113 380 1381- a non-judgmental, confidential peer listening telephone service run by students for students from 8pm-8am every night of term.
Samaritans Leeds, 0113 245 6789- a confidential telephone listening service, which runs 24/7
Me- I can point you in the direction of other support available in Leeds (I’ll be compiling a directory this year), or just be a friendly face.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are in an emergency:
NHS Direct, 0845 4647- they can talk you through your feelings and send out help if you need it.
Dial House, 0113 260 9328- a survivor led crisis team which provides a place of sanctuary for those experiencing a crisis. Open 6pm-2am Friday-Monday
Connect Helpline, 0808 800 1212 - a survivor led service offering emotional support & info 6pm-10.30pm every night
If you are in immediate harm or danger, please always dial 999 or take yourself to a&e. The nearest hospital to University is Leeds General Infirmary, Great George Street Leeds, LS1 3EX.