Harmison admits to battling depression and suicidal thoughts

[CoverDrive]

This was during the peak of his career and he elaborates on this thoughts more in his book. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/cricket/england-ashes-hero-steve-harmison-10629666

 

I know the first reaction here especially from people here in Asia is to scoff at this. Book publishing is one of standard ways a lot English cricketers try to support their post playing days. Almost all of them are writing books and then publicizing it. We feel that this seems to be a problem only with First world players and our players are tougher coming up from more hard background. Asian players will appreciate and enjoy their success lot more as this is their chance for making it in life in an insane competitive world where there are no freebies in life. 

 

However, with time I have changed my outlook on this. Guys like Trescothick, Trott and Harmison are living their own life and they are facing their own demons. They are not soft or pansies for battling and owning up to mental illness. We don't know what battles any other individuals are facing in life. Robin Williams one of the most famous comedians was fighting some of the biggest demons in his heads all his life. Life in the west is privileged no doubt but it can also be very isolating. Few times I have had to spend some days there can be very unsettling sometimes for the isolation that hits you. It feels very easy to slip into depression. Plus Substance abuse is a very common theme in lot of sections of society there. 

 

Second point is that it is a myth that We here have sorted it all out when it comes to mental illness. Mental illness is so much more prevalent here than we are ready to accept. I have seen so many women who are busy all life supporting others in life and losing their own identity fighting depression later in life. This is just one of the sections of the society - there are many others going through different types of mental illness. Teens under performance pressure, young couples in bad marriage, etc. Our big cities are already like west in terms of problems and issues we are facing on an individual life, 

 

I am sure depression is something that some of our sportspeople also deal with. I think it is good that people are opening up with their stories and it is good to share and learn from them. 

[MechEng]

Being self critical and stoic is a norm in British culture, you can see the evidence of this in their humour itself which is strongly sarcasm and self depreciation. A good way to begin curing depression is by accepting your limitations and being good to yourself. Perfectionism is endemic in industrially developed countries which is the breeding ground for any kind of mental illness.

[MCcricket]

Can't blame em, English weather would make most crazy, lol.

[mishra]

For average players, Once your playing days are over, it is very difficult to cope with as most times you dont know anything apart from sports. Not evryone can be entrepreneur or investor. Cricket is not main sport in England. It is football.

 

For Indian, to understand players conditions, just see what happens to our football players or Hockey players once they retire. IMO ECB has done well in maintaining its earning for cricket, but it is failing when it comes to ex players. It is because of this that , most British Indians do not rely on Cricket as profession. They are assured to do much better in life by choosing fields like medicine,law.

 

ECB should stop paying fat cheques to its current board members and cricketing stars (I think its somewhere overspending just to stop players appearin in IPL) and should invest on ex players too. But ten again story is even worse for Indian cricketers. Just today saw a story on  Waseem Jaffer

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/champions-trophy-2017/top-stories/india-v-bangladesh-wasim-jaffer-just-a-face-in-the-crowd/articleshow/59174024.cms

 

Quote

1. Wasim Jaffer is just a face in the Edgbaston crowd
2. Jaffer played his last Test in 2008, replaced by Gautam Gambhir, who too is now gone
3. Jaffer is in the UK for a few months, playing for Moddershall and Oulton Cricket Club near Straffordshire