Depression is common but are we talking about it?

There was an interesting documentary on BBC3 this week (09/07/13) about professional football and how even the top paid superstars can be at risk from depression. It was presented by former Premiership player Clarke Carlisle who has first hand experience of the emotional up and downs and highs and lows top sports people can experience. At one point he had attempted to take his own life and is now very much involved in helping maintain and improve the best support systems for professionals in any sport who are having difficulties in their lives with depression and dealing with the pressures that a high profile sporting career can bring.

The most important message to come out of this documentary was that depression is still something that many of us find hard to talk about and even harder to discuss with anyone if we have it. When Gary Speed the Wales National Football Team manager and celebrated footballer took his own life in 2011 not even the closest members of his family knew of his depression and state of mind.

Depression can be triggered by many things including loss and bereavement, anger or loss of a relationship, childhood experiences, drugs and other issues. For sports people and those in the public eye the pressure can be absolutely intense and belief in one’s own value, loneliness (even with so many people around) and isolation are just a few of the cocktail of doubts and insecurities that can begin to eat into an otherwise confident person’s internal thinking.