Professional cricket throws up very distinct challenges to those with a tendency to depression, whether the player is an international cricketer or on the domestic circuit.
The long periods away from home, the many opportunities for contemplation when sitting around in the dressing room waiting to bat or standing in the field, and of course the fact that your performance is constantly measured and critiqued both privately and publicly.
It is estimated that one in six males will suffer from depression at some stage in his life. In line with this statistic, leading experts suggest that up to 15 percent of elite athletes are depression sufferers. On average, two men in any cricket change room will battle this mental illness.
Sadly there has been little or no research into depression within specific sports, so all cricket can rely on is the word of the sufferers who have been brave enough to come forward publicly, or the ‘experts’ in this particular field.
Statistically, despite the perception that the pressures of professional sport may have a tendency to promote mental illness, they in fact are no different than those faced by the wider public. The pressures may differ but the outcome, it seems, is much the same.
Chief executive of cricket’s New Zealand Players Association, Heath Mills, believes depression in the game has been around for many, many years,
“There’s no question in my mind that in the past it was seen as a personal failing. It has not been recognised and addressed to the level that it should be.” He suggests that changes are occurring within the game to address this issue, but that much remains to be done.
The New Zealand Players Association have looked to lead the way in world cricket over the last six years by running a personal development and careers program, which contains a risk management component that offers a number of services to the players, including psychological support and professional advice. In this time, 20 players have approached support staff to discuss depression and other forms of mental illness.
For too long there seems to have been a culture where top players have felt that if they openly discussed their battles with depression, there would be an impact on their future within the sport.
Top-class cricketers can be on the road for ten months of the year, constantly away from their family and support networks, often operating in a workplace environment where they are under extreme pressure, and where their performances are judged publicly, not privately in a performance review as in a normal job.
Some will say they are well paid, it is a career they chose, and they knew what they were getting themselves into, but this attitude is a major reason why most who are suffering from depression keep it to themselves rather than seeking help.
To make progress in this area, there needs to be a lot more communication with the game’s administrative body. Work needs to be done to create an environment where players are comfortable talking about the issue and this will only happen when there is no longer a fear that by raising the issue, the player in question will be discriminated against, or will see their future within the game affected.
This is not to say that other jobs aren’t tough, but for too long we’ve had an attitude that, if a player shows a weakness, he needs to harden up. We haven’t recognised the lack of support in place to deal with mental issues within the game, and until there is a proper understanding, depression will continue to be an issue in world cricket.
Few who know the game could argue against the notion that cricket contains triggers for depression. Despite being a team sport, it is one where personal failures are most distinctly measured. Those failures then make players feel as though they have not let not just themselves down, but worse, those around them.
Australian international Ryan Campbell, a former sufferer when he played the game professionally, recognised his recovery started when a medical expert provided clarity about segregating the three facets of his life: work, family and social.
Campbell suggests that no game blurs these boundaries like cricket, in which the team, particularly on the road, are your work colleagues, your friends and your family.
Over recent years, several international cricketers have come forward, openly discussing this aspect of the game and their experiences. The fact that several high-profile players – such as Marcus Trescothick, Michael Yardy, Ian O’Brien, Lou Vincent, and Shaun Tait – have all spoken publicly about depression and the impact it has had on their lives, helps the wider community understand this taboo subject.
My sympathy is very much with these players because, as much as I hate to admit it, depression is something I have battled for the past seven or eight years. But at times I have questioned how the same thing could happen to sportsmen who travel the globe, plying a trade they love.
Spend a few minutes with them, and you quickly realise that they are just like me and you, and they experience the same emotions.
The only difference is that they are open to public scrutiny because of their choice of career.
Cricket will continue to have players who struggle with mental illness. We can only hope though, that through an increase in awareness, the game will continue to be at the forefront of their rehabilitation, and the wider community will increase their understanding of this affliction.
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