SURREY B次元官网网址� One of the CFLB次元官网网址檚 toughest players says heB次元官网网址檚 no longer afraid to face his mental health.
More than a year and a half after experiencing a terrifying bout of panic attacks and anxiety, B.C. Lions quarterback Mike Reilly shared his experience in a stark piece for CFL.ca on Wednesday, saying he hopes it helps others dealing with similar issues.
B次元官网网址淚 just hope that (my story) empowers people to know that itB次元官网网址檚 not taboo and itB次元官网网址檚 not something people should frown upon,B次元官网网址� the 34-year-old told reporters at the LionsB次元官网网址� suburban training facility on Wednesday, just hours after the piece went live online.
B次元官网网址淧eople should celebrate that youB次元官网网址檙e strong enough to be able to get help instead of worrying about how tough you are or how big your ego is or how scared you are.B次元官网网址�
A must-read from on Mike Reilly opening up the conversation on mental health.
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Reilly experienced his first panic attack at his off-season home in Seattle in January 2018. He was coming off another season as the leagueB次元官网网址檚 top passer, having thrown for 5,830 yards and 30 touchdowns for the Edmonton Eskimos in 2017.
He and his wife Emily had one infant daughter and another on the way when, one night, the football star lay down in bed only to find himself unable to breathe, his heart racing, gripped by the fear that he was about to die.
B次元官网网址淭he scariest part was that it was something new for me and something I hadnB次元官网网址檛 dealt with before,B次元官网网址� Reilly said. B次元官网网址滻 was scared that I was going to feel that way every day for the rest of my life. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a pretty rough place to be in.B次元官网网址�
Over the next month, the 2015 Grey Cup MVP struggled with reconciling his recurring panic attacks and persistent anxiety with his image of being one of the CFLB次元官网网址檚 toughest athletes. He didnB次元官网网址檛 want to tell anyone B次元官网网址� including his wife or his brother, a psychologist B次元官网网址� what he was really going through. He worried with how heB次元官网网址檇 be viewed and that any issue would automatically be linked to a head injury.
B次元官网网址淚 thought of myself as a super tough guy. But thereB次元官网网址檚 a difference between being tough and being dumb,B次元官网网址� Reilly explained. B次元官网网址淏eing tough is one thing when youB次元官网网址檙e fighting through something on your own. But that was not a scenario where I was going to be able to just fight through and pretend it wasnB次元官网网址檛 happening. Once I finally realized that and got the help that I needed, it was life changing.B次元官网网址�
Eventually he reached out, received support and learned various treatment tools, including journaling. The dark feelings and panic attacks quickly dissipated and he continued working to keep them at bay.
Reilly, who signed with the Lions as a free agent in February, said he hasnB次元官网网址檛 experienced any symptoms in more than a year and a half, but he still uses some of the tools and techniques he learned.
Today he has confidence that if anxiety ever encroaches again, heB次元官网网址檒l be prepared.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 worry about it now during the day because I know that if I start to feel a little bit off, I can go and talk to people and itB次元官网网址檚 not going to be something where IB次元官网网址檓 going to be judged or IB次元官网网址檓 going to lose my career for it or things like that,B次元官网网址� he said.
The experience has flipped how Reilly views mental health, from something that can be fought through by those who are tough enough to a medical condition that needs outside help.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something that didnB次元官网网址檛 square in my mind in the beginning and now when I look back on it, I canB次元官网网址檛 believe how wrong I was,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址滻t was a life lesson for me, for sure, and one that IB次元官网网址檓 fortunate to have had the pieces and people in place to get me the help that I needed.B次元官网网址�
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Now Reilly is joining a handful of other male professional athletes speaking about their personal journey in a bid to break down the stigma that still surrounds mental health.
NBA players DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love have shared their own battles, while NHL goalie Robin Lehner recently spoke out about struggling with addiction, suicidal thoughts and bipolar disorder.
The highlight of the NHL Awards was Robin LehnerB次元官网网址檚 speech.
B次元官网网址� Eyes on Isles (@eyesonislesFS)
Reilly is also helping others by working with the , and putting the $25,000 donation he earned from being last yearB次元官网网址檚 top player of the week toward Foundry B.C., a group that helps youth access various mental health care and various other supports.
Speaking publicly has brought up some nerves for the quarterback, who prefers to keep his personal life personal.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of uncharted territory for me,B次元官网网址� Reilly said. B次元官网网址滱ny time IB次元官网网址檝e been hurt, physically, I donB次元官网网址檛 talk about it. IB次元官网网址檝e played through a lot of different injuries and I generally donB次元官网网址檛 like to talk about them. ItB次元官网网址檚 generally something I deal with on my own.
B次元官网网址淏ut this is not a physical injury. This is something that can and will affect a lot of people. Mental health touches so many different people and you donB次元官网网址檛 even know about it.B次元官网网址�
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
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