JohnnyFontane90
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- Feb 14, 2014
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there's no evidence to suggest this is anything other that what he says it is, so it's a good thing he's being open about it.
Dustin Martin's battle with depression and Anxiety
- Thread starter GlocksTickin
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Well he still played a pretty good season so he could still get a kick. He stated "I woke with a weird empty feeling inside and it was really strange. I had everything I wanted and everything I dreamt of, but I didn't feel fulfilled or happy. I didn't know what was going on."
"Speaking up initially gave me more anxiety and depression as I kept wondering why I was feeling this way. I came to realise that the materialistic things in life don't rate; it's the small things that matter most."
So basically he was sorting through some s**t that many/most people go through. It's just that the words of anxiety and depression are quite commonplace these days, so to they may sound a bit dramatic, but they are just practical words that don't necessarily correlate to the black dog or severe depression.
It's good that people can talk about it, especially people with profile.
- May 5, 2006
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Bolded is key.
Coming out and saying 'yeah I didn't feel happy for a bit' isn't news, nor is it illness. It's life. How do you think the 22 Collingwood players felt after losing the GF? How do you think Tom Mitchell feels after breaking his leg? Dale Morris after doing another ACL at 36?
Agree, as I said sounds like he is just thinking things through. Others have had/are having far worse. All Martin is saying is that after the highs of 2017, he felt weird and battled a bit with motivation. It should be no big deal, and I don't think he sees it any other way.
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Most people would read that and think 'Gee must be tough winning the flag, Brownlow, Norm Smith, B&F, AFL MVP, AA jumper in one hit. Thoughts and prayers for Dusty while I battle to pay a mortgage and put food on the table'.
Could see it brownlow night. All the attention, having to make the speech, etc.
All of it televised. the build up during the week.
For an introvert, or anyone with anxiety, its enough bring your world crashing down.
I thought he did really well that night given what was probably happening below the waters surface.
Kudos for speaking out too. Got a lot of respect for Dusty....and im sad he never switched sashes when the chance arose.
All of it televised. the build up during the week.
For an introvert, or anyone with anxiety, its enough bring your world crashing down.
I thought he did really well that night given what was probably happening below the waters surface.
Kudos for speaking out too. Got a lot of respect for Dusty....and im sad he never switched sashes when the chance arose.
Considering Dusty accomplished pretty much everything you can in the game in the space of 12 months, you can't blame him for feeling a bit flat afterwards.
What do you have to work for when you have already achieved everything? It must feel a bit hollow.
What do you have to work for when you have already achieved everything? It must feel a bit hollow.
That's a bit of a selfish attitude.
Team success, pushing others to become better.
JohnnyFontane90
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don't mean to get all existential here but geez what's that say about life if achieving ultimate success makes you feel hollow.
GlocksTickin
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Exactly mate. Spot on.
Also, at the end of the day, it's who he is. Dusty is Dusty. He's shy and is always going to be shy. Nothing wrong with that and he doesn't have to change that for anything or anyone.
Dusty
GlocksTickin
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All the people in here turning this into a negative too seriously
Once a downer always a downer.
Downers gonna down.
Once a downer always a downer.
Downers gonna down.
telsor
Hall of Famer
Not sure if hollow is the word, but when you focus on something with all you've got, achieving it does leave you with a bit of a lost 'what now'/'what's next' feeling.
(completely different context and level of achievement, but I've kinda been there...I dare say many of us have to some degree).
telsor
Hall of Famer
All the people in here turning this into a negative too seriously
Once a downer always a downer.
Downers gonna down.
telsor
Hall of Famer
He HAD team success. That was part of it.
Hawkie_McHawkHawk
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I could understand the pressures of the game and the media must feel like dragging around a giant anvil wherever you go. One thing that I find interesting though is that depression and anxiety seems to be a pretty big issue with AFL players but looking at other leagues around the world it doesn’t seem nearly as prevelant..?
This reminds me of an interesting interview with Pamela Anderson, the one-time comedienne and actress who retired from that after marrying Billy Connolly and qualified as a psychologist. Apparently her doctoral thesis was on the psychological effect of fame which she described in the interview as a form of trauma. It made sense to me, although it reminded me of the old Tom Lehrer joke about a doctor who specialised in "diseases of the rich".
Reading between the lines I suspect that Dusty may not have suffered from full-blown clinical depression, for all that he talks about depression and anxiety - but that's just a guess. Certainly he managed to function alright as a footballer last season, even if he didn't reach the heights of 2017. Then again, the likes of Churchill and Lincoln managed to function with depression so who knows. Like a lot of others in this thread I remember feeling empty after a major achievement, in my case when I got my PhD. I remember talking about it with an academic mentor who told me that "everyone feels that way".
Reading between the lines I suspect that Dusty may not have suffered from full-blown clinical depression, for all that he talks about depression and anxiety - but that's just a guess. Certainly he managed to function alright as a footballer last season, even if he didn't reach the heights of 2017. Then again, the likes of Churchill and Lincoln managed to function with depression so who knows. Like a lot of others in this thread I remember feeling empty after a major achievement, in my case when I got my PhD. I remember talking about it with an academic mentor who told me that "everyone feels that way".
- Dec 2, 2014
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Hogan now as well. Likes the nose beers as well.
Muddiemoose
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Death of a parent and cancer wouldn’t do wonders for someone’s mental health either....
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It’s called the silent disease for a reason
The more high profile people come out and say they’re suffering, the better it will be and ultimately encourage more people - especially blokes - to step out and put their hands up to get help
The more high profile people come out and say they’re suffering, the better it will be and ultimately encourage more people - especially blokes - to step out and put their hands up to get help
captain blood 17
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So what are you saying about Dustin. Come on now, let’s have a direct conversation.
Sent from my iPad using righteous Bhodi manpower
telsor
Hall of Famer
Essendon fans particularly seem keen to push the line that everyone is on drugs....I wonder why....
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He likes nose beers.
Then if that's how HE feels then it's a bit selfish, and i would bet from what i hear about the guy, he would probably agree.
But i would also bet that that's not what is worrying him, i think it would be more about why am i not happy feeling.
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