Depression - A player's story

[orangeman]

That piece gives us a serious insight into mental illness.

The player is to be commended for opening up and going public with it.

[CC1]

Just to echo what everybody else has been saying. Kudos to him for showing the courage and bravery to go public with this illness. Every bit of publicity by high profile guys like Alan about this illness helps to chip away at the ignorance and stigma surrounding it. Hopefully putting his thoughts into words has helped in some way to ease the empty and self destructive thoughts. The GPA and those around him must also be commended for their support.

I know the lad from training with him and playing against him. He's a great lad and I wish him all the best.

[seafoid]

Apparently there was some very bad sledging at the Donegal Tyrone match. I would hope that if he ever plays against any of the perpetrators they don't cross the red line of taunting him about depression.

[muppet]

Apparently there was some very bad sledging at the Donegal Tyrone match. I would hope that if he ever plays against any of the perpetrators they don't cross the red line of taunting him about depression.

The sad thing is we all know there are some scumbags out there who will do it.

[Denn Forever]

I would hope that the officials (Umpires, linesmen and Refs) would work together to spot this and take action. 

[seafoid]

Apparently there was some very bad sledging at the Donegal Tyrone match. I would hope that if he ever plays against any of the perpetrators they don't cross the red line of taunting him about depression.

The sad thing is we all know there are some scumbags out there who will do it.

The  GAA should have sanctions for "bringing the game into disrepute".

[Declan]

Very brave and insightful article. Best of luck to him

[johnneycool]

Interesting article and should be posted on the wall of changing rooms up and down the country if only to show lads and ladies that whatever emotions they're struggling with that there is a positive outcome.

Well done the GPA for offering this service.

[Asal Mor]

Fair play to him. As itchy said he could well save lives by opening up about his own story.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Fair play to this young man for having the courage to speak publicly about his experiences. Hopefully this will inspire others who are suffering in silence to seek help.

[Lar Naparka]

Fair play to this young man for having the courage to speak publicly about his experiences. Hopefully this will inspire others who are suffering in silence to seek help.

I sincerely his story helps others to cope with depression and to understand that it's a medical problem and not is not brought on by a mental deficiency of any sort.
I also suffered from chronic depression and I know I was extremely lucky to pull through.
In my case, I knew in advance that I was going to get very depressed and was briefed by my GP that a bout would be the inevitable result of the brain aneurysm I had suffered the previous year and the savage bouts of epilepsy that followed on from it.
He couldn't understand how my brain had managed to cope with all the traumas to date I had gone through but warned me that it would, sooner or later, close down all but the core functions in order to a repair itself.
Well, he was right and when depression hit, I went through four months of absolute hell.
Only for the fact that I knew it was going to happen, I would not have survived.
Nobody around me had an idea of what I was going through and endless exhortations to pull myself together only made matters worse.
I lost three stones weight in the space of four months and felt I had nowhere to go and nobody to turn to. Life just didn't seem worth living anymore and I had to battle with suicidal feelings every hour of the day.
I snapped out of it fairly dramatically.
I had another epileptic seizure, at a time when I was feeling very low and once more I was knocked out for five or six hours.
I have been incredibly lucky one again to have been in company at the time it happened and when I woke up, I found I was in Beaumont A&E.
I never felt better!
Although I was black and blue all over from the restraints that were holding me down and faint with hunger and thirst, I knew the black mood had lifted.
I was told that the electrical brainstorm had reset the levels of melatonin and serotonin- somewhat similar to the electroshock therapy used to treat brain disorders. If the balance between those hormones is maladjusted, depression or elation is the likely end result.
I've had no problem with epilepsy or depression ever since.
Reading Alan's story, it struck me once again that people in general haven't a clue of what's going on in a sufferer's brain while in the grip of depression.
Well-meaning but fatuous attempts to buck a sufferer up have the opposite effect.
The condition is a medical one and something like a blow on the head or the stress of surgery can bring it on. Anybody can be affected.
I hope Alan makes a full recovery and is able to cope with the reservations of those who know of his illness. I am a much older man and I couldn't give a damn about what anybody has to say about my time in the horrors.
I know younger people find it harder to cope with snide remarks and double talk and unfortunately, many don't pull through.
I hope his story serves as an inspiration for others with this condition. 

[Croí na hÉireann]

Wow. That's as powerful and honest a post as laoislad's there a couple of years ago. Fair play Lar and I'm sure someone out there will realise that there is light at the end of the tunnel as a result of posting that. Proud to be a member of an organisation that helps to address the issues of the day that official Ireland shies away from. I take my hat off to the Oisin McConville's, Alan O'Meara's, Lar Naparka's, etc. I also think the GPA (whom I've never been fully comfortable with) need to be lauded here.

[Hardy]

Well done and thanks, Lar. An inspirational story. And well done Alan, too.

[Stall the Bailer]

Wow. That's as powerful and honest a post as laoislad's there a couple of years ago. Fair play Lar and I'm sure someone out there will realise that there is light at the end of the tunnel as a result of posting that. Proud to be a member of an organisation that helps to address the issues of the day that official Ireland shies away from. I take my hat off to the Oisin McConville's, Alan O'Meara's, Lar Naparka's, etc. I also think the GPA (whom I've never been fully comfortable with) need to be lauded here.

+1

[whiskeysteve]

Well done Lar and well done Alan for shining a light on the darkness as it were. Does a powerful good to share this.