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Ssb - mark allen battles depression
Mark Allen has revealed he is battling depression.
The world no.11 is receiving professional help in a bid to combat the condition, which he believes has in part developed because of the nature of life on the circuit.
"We all live out of suitcases and, for me, it's just come to a head," Allen told the Irish Mirror.
"I suppose, if I look back on certain things in my career, this has been coming for a long time. But more recently I've really felt more down than I ever have.
"Some days I wake up and I just can't be bothered, I don't have the motivation to do anything.
"It does get very lonely when you're looking at the four walls of a hotel room for most of the year.
"I've been a professional for a few years now and all I've done since then is play snooker, I've known nothing else.
"If I knew what the problem was then I would have sorted it, but I've been seeing a counsellor to see what the problem is.
"It helps to talk about how I'm feeling because when you're on the road, or at a tournament, you don't really have the chance to tell anyone how you're feeling.
"I'd say I get on with 99 per cent of the other players, but to be honest everyone has their own routines and being a snooker player is a very lonely life."
More particularly, snooker is an individual sport. Yes, the players have people in their corner but no team-mates to share the load.
Snooker is also intense. It moves slowly and although it doesn't take huge physical effort, it requires immense mental energy.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, most famously, has suffered from depression for many years. More recently Graeme Dott has also received treatment for this much misunderstood condition.
I listened last week to Geoffrey Boycott, the former England cricketer, giving his ill informed views about a player who had been diagnosed with depression. It was clear some people still think it's a case of 'just cheer up.'
That's a bit like telling someone with a broken leg to go and run a marathon.
I'm not that surprised by Allen's revelation. Down at the Championship League he was very subdued and spent most of his time while not playing staring at films on his laptop but seemingly not really watching them.
I understand he simply couldn't get on the plane to play in the Hainan Classic.
It's a sad situation for such a talented young man to find himself in. I hope he can get through it and rediscover his joy not just for snooker but for life itself.
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The world no.11 is receiving professional help in a bid to combat the condition, which he believes has in part developed because of the nature of life on the circuit.
"We all live out of suitcases and, for me, it's just come to a head," Allen told the Irish Mirror.
"I suppose, if I look back on certain things in my career, this has been coming for a long time. But more recently I've really felt more down than I ever have.
"Some days I wake up and I just can't be bothered, I don't have the motivation to do anything.
"It does get very lonely when you're looking at the four walls of a hotel room for most of the year.
"I've been a professional for a few years now and all I've done since then is play snooker, I've known nothing else.
"If I knew what the problem was then I would have sorted it, but I've been seeing a counsellor to see what the problem is.
"It helps to talk about how I'm feeling because when you're on the road, or at a tournament, you don't really have the chance to tell anyone how you're feeling.
"I'd say I get on with 99 per cent of the other players, but to be honest everyone has their own routines and being a snooker player is a very lonely life."
More particularly, snooker is an individual sport. Yes, the players have people in their corner but no team-mates to share the load.
Snooker is also intense. It moves slowly and although it doesn't take huge physical effort, it requires immense mental energy.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, most famously, has suffered from depression for many years. More recently Graeme Dott has also received treatment for this much misunderstood condition.
I listened last week to Geoffrey Boycott, the former England cricketer, giving his ill informed views about a player who had been diagnosed with depression. It was clear some people still think it's a case of 'just cheer up.'
That's a bit like telling someone with a broken leg to go and run a marathon.
I'm not that surprised by Allen's revelation. Down at the Championship League he was very subdued and spent most of his time while not playing staring at films on his laptop but seemingly not really watching them.
I understand he simply couldn't get on the plane to play in the Hainan Classic.
It's a sad situation for such a talented young man to find himself in. I hope he can get through it and rediscover his joy not just for snooker but for life itself.
More...
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