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The pressures of the NFL were getting to Marcus Smith II.
Philadelphia’s first-round pick didn’t live up to expectations, leading to anxiety, depression, panic attacks, being released by the Eagles — and moving across the country to Seattle. Smith didn’t talk about his mental health because he didn’t want anyone to think he wasn’t troubled enough to play in the league.
In the year On his way to a Seahawks practice in August 2018, he stopped at the top of a hill, ready to drive off the hill. A call from his pregnant wife and mother-in-law changed his mind. He went to practice and told coach Pete Carroll and defensive line coach Cliff Hart what happened.
“(Carroll) supported me in every way possible. In the year Smith, who was filmed in 2014, helped me find that therapist, let me know everything was going to be okay. I never talk. … If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing and I probably wouldn’t be here today.
Smith is dedicated to making sure other players don’t get the rest he deserves. He is one of many former and active NFL players sharing their personal stories to help break the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage people to seek the help they need. The league and NFL Players Association are also providing resources to teams.
Smith at The AP Pro Football Podcast. “I want to make sure it’s not too late. That’s why we need to keep talking about it.
Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins has been Working to teach In the year He’s been talking about mental health — or cerebral sanity, as he likes to call it — since his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins, who retired after last season, has been open about weekly therapy sessions. Help him get established With anxiety, because he wants young men to know that it is not a weakness.
Six-time Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall became one. Outspoken mental health advocate He was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder during his playing career.
Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Chris Hubbard held an annual event for mental health through the Common Foundation. Hubbard was drawn to the case after a high school friend killed himself.
“I know for a lot of us, especially the African American community, it’s not talked about,” Hubbard said. “I wanted to get to a point where I could help others, let people know you’re not alone, we’re in this together and we can get through it.”
Free agent safety Douglas Middleton, who played parts of six seasons with six teams, started the Dream the Impossible Foundation to serve people with mental health issues after a close friend died in a suicide in 2017.
Middleton emphasized the importance of actively seeking treatment.
“I always tell people it’s not something you do in response to a bad day,” he said. “It’s about how I make sure I don’t have a bad day, how I can be the best version of myself. You don’t lift weights when you feel bad. You lift weights to feel better, look better, and be a healthier person. Therefore, you should treat your mental health as well as your physical health.
The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed in May 2019 to increase mental health resources available to players and club personnel. Each group is required to have a licensed behavioral health clinician on staff, as well as a pain management specialist.
The Players Association has put together a clinic directory for all players to help them find a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or counselor near them.
With their insurance, all players receive up to eight free counseling sessions at no cost. NFL Life Line offers suicide prevention, crisis management and real-time problem solving through trained crisis counselors.
There is also an additional health benefit through The Trust, which serves players with at least two seasons in the NFL, providing former players with access to outpatient psychiatric treatment and counseling in their home communities. And the Professional Athletes Foundation provides health tips and resources for former players.
“We don’t want this dark image of mental health,” Smith said. This is a journey you can conquer.
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Follow Rob Maddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi
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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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