Ex-footballers less likely to suffer from depression

Former footballers, despite being around three and a half times more likely to die from neurodegenerative disease than the general public, are at lower risk of depression.

Ex-professionals were around half as likely to be admitted for anxiety and stress-related disorders, depression, alcohol misuse, drug misuse, bipolar and affective mood disorders, while they were at no greater risk of suicide.

The findings have come from the Football’s Influence on Lifelong health and Dementia risk (Field) study published in the Journal of Neurology.