New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Former England wicketkeeper-batter Paul Nixon believes the total immersion of cricketers towards achieving their goals in the sport is the fundamental problem behind them facing mental health issues. Chats around the mental health of cricketers have been reignited after former England batter and coach Graham Thrope took his own life earlier this month, and it was revealed by his family that he was suffering from depression and anxiety for the past few years.
“I think you work so hard to try and achieve your goals and your dreams and your aspirations. And when you get the chance and you’re doing it and you’re living it, you are quite literally living the dream. But you’re not living it as in two hours here and two hours there.”
“You’re a bit like a farmer, you know, I’m a farmer’s son and I love watching Clarkson’s Farm because that was your life and it’s actually life. It’s not just a nine-to-five, it’s a life. It’s all day, all week. It’s all-consuming.”
“You go to bed thinking about it and you sometimes stay up late thinking about it. When it’s your time, you enjoy it. When it’s other times, you try to enjoy everybody else’s success. But you have to immerse yourself in it to be successful,” said Nixon in an episode of ‘The Analyst Inside Cricket’ podcast.
Further elaborating on issues with cricketers immersing themselves to be successful, Nixon said, “And that total immersion is the fundamental problem. A life in cricket is so all-consuming as well as fulfilling. But being suddenly on the outside can leave you just feeling empty and useless. You lose your identity. Who am I, you ask? Perspective is everything.”
“And so if ever I am feeling down through lack of progress or general fatigue or ineptitude I heed the words of my 91-year-old mother, who, walking stoically and painfully to the doctors to have her legs rebandaged for the umpteenth time, used to say – “Well, at least I don’t live in Ukraine.”
Nixon, who served as Head Coach of Leicestershire County Cricket Club from 2017 to 2023, explained how he helps players deal with stress and mental issues in his coaching roles.
“You have some one-to-one time. You make sure that other people are aware of it, what’s going on as well, so that we can be supportive as much as we can, from welfare officers in clubs to sometimes your backroom staff, as a head coach, people sometimes don’t want to show vulnerability to the head coach because they’re thinking, could the head coach release me?”
“Could they make my life even worse? So actually, using your support staff in a really positive manner, people always open up to a physio or a strength and conditioning coach in a gym, it’s in a different location to a head coach’s office, or we’d have a walk and talk, I love the walk and talk idea.”
–IANS
nr/bsk/
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by TodayIndia.news and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of TodayIndia.news We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, TodayIndia.news takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
