Keeper who stepped away from brink backs appeal
FORMER England footballer Chris Kirkland is supporting our By Your Side campaign – as he has experience of coming back from rock bottom.
The goalie was dogged by anxiety, depression and self-doubt for years.
It was pre-season in 2016 and Chris was in Portugal with Bury, the last club of his 18-year professional career. There, he found himself desperate to end his life and made his way out on a hotel roof to jump off.
The former Liverpool stopper, 40, explained: “I started to struggle with my own mental health back in 2012, not long after I left Wigan Athletic to join Sheffield Wednesday.
“I didn’t realise that it was my mental health that was suffering because it just wasn’t something that you heard or spoke about much, especially in my world.
“I’d had enough. It was a see-saw moment – I either jumped or I stepped back. I didn’t want my daughter to grow up without a father or my wife to be widowed. That’s when I phoned her and told her everything.
Devastating
“She flew me straight home and I finally asked for help.”
Chris added: “Campaigns like By Your Side are incredibly important to bring mental health to the forefront of people’s minds and encourage those who are struggling to seek out help.
“Mental health doesn’t discriminate, it can affect anyone at any time. I should have been living my dream as a professional footballer. The past two years have had a devastating toll on people’s lives and mental health support is needed more than ever.”
In a bid to help young men, Chris has teamed up with Edge Hill University and St Bede’s Catholic High School in Ormskirk, Lancashire, to launch Make Talk Your Goal.
The scheme involves sports and arts personalities visiting the school to promote conversations on mental health – and it may be rolled out to other schools if its impact is positive.
“I want lads to know they don’t need to feel embarrassed for talking about how they feel and to know that they’re not on their own,” Chris added.
●●Whatever you’re going through, you can call Samaritans free any time on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org