I am stronger mentally than I was two years ago ...but the dark days still come

SALFORD STAR JONES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF TALKING IN HIS BATTLE WITH DEPRESSION

JOSH JONES is living the dream with Great Britain, on the back of a shock Grand Final with Salford.

But while the 26-year-old forward is having the time of his life now, he admits the dark days are always in danger of reappearing.

It is a battle Jones has decided to reveal in a bid to help others who are struggling with depression.

He said: “I’m a lot stronger mentally than I was two years ago but those dark days still come.

“I went through a tough time and I was ready to give up rugby.

“Salford wanted rid of me and I wanted rid of them to be fair.

“I was struggling to cope and I was an inch away from packing up and getting a job.

“Luckily Tim Sheens, who was coach then, was great with me and I managed to find a good doctor who helped me find a way to cope with my demons better.”

Jones’ problems escalated after joining Salford following an ill-fated spell in union with Exeter Chiefs three years ago.

He said: “I used to worry about everything, I’d stress and then go drinking loads and I wasn’t training properly. It was a vicious cycle. My missus was pregnant, I struggled to cope and we nearly split up over it because we’d argue about me drinking so much.

“But thankfully Olivia stuck by me and she’s been my rock. I probably couldn’t get through a lot of stuff in life without her.”

The couple, who recently had their third child, were married the day after the Grand Final, the same day he was called up for the Lions tour Down Under.

It has been a whirlwind of success but Jones said he knows better than most that appearances can sometimes be deceptive.

And he urged anyone struggling with anxiety or depression to talk about it and get help.

He said: “Instead of going drinking now, I sit down with Olivia or a close friend and discuss how I am feeling.

“What happened to Jansin Turgut is well documented and I’m glad he is still here to share his story and is now getting through it.

“I’m lucky I never got to the stage he got to, but there are an awful lot of people who feel the same things and it’s important that people talk.”

Jones’ Salford team-mate Turgut is still recovering from horrific injuries suffered in a fall from a car park roof in Ibiza in May.

Jones, who joins Hull after the Lions tour, will start on the bench in Saturday’s clash with Tonga in Hamilton.

But he has vowed to do his utmost, saying: “Elliot Whitehead and John Bateman are probably the two form back rowers in world rugby but I’m working hard to push them.”