Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

[Axe Man]

Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

BULLDOGS star Tom Boyd has opened up about his panic attacks, anxiety and depression around the time of the team’s historic 2016 premiership win.

While Boyd’s playing career was flying, he said his mental health was suffering.

“We had an amazing year. We managed to win the flag which was an incredible experience,” he said.

“But from my point of view I think it papered over a lot of the cracks that were starting to appear in my mental health.

“The real moment my mind started to turn was when I began having panic attacks while driving — that physiological effect of your heart racing, you’re sweating and you can’t concentrate, feeling dizzy.

“It’s hard for some people to understand. It’s not tangible; it’s not something you can see.”

Boyd will front the launch of ‘headcoach’ a national campaign giving young men tips on how to look after their mental, as well as physical, fitness.

At age 21, Boyd took time out of football to receive clinical treatment for anxiety and depression.

“My mental health has hindered me more than any physical injury I’ve sustained in my life and I’ve had multiple surgeries,” he said.

“I really had no idea of some of the techniques you can use not only to help with mental health issues but also to prevent them.”

Headspace CEO, Jason Trethowan, said it was hoped headcoach helps reduce the incidence of depression and anxiety among young men, one in seven of whom will experience it each year.

“Young men are three times more likely to die by suicide (than other people), it is the leading cause of death of males aged between 15 and 44 …(but) less than one in five seek help for mental health issues.”

The National Youth Mental Health Foundation, headspace, has partnered with elite athletes to create education for young men on how to care for their minds.

Boyd advises young men to do things they enjoy to help protect their mental health.

“Some of the things that can be helpful for me during challenging times can be as simple as monitoring my breathing and getting ahead of moments of stress and anxiety,” he said.

“Now I can say to myself I’m not feeling great, let’s go and do something enjoyable, let’s take the dog for a walk or get the camera out or go surfing.”

Headcoach will be launched at the MCG tomorrow.

https://www.headspace.org.au/headcoach

[AndrewP6]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

What a champ. Hopefully some of the clowns that seemingly have taken some twisted joy in his on field struggle will read this and feel ashamed. Good on ya Boydy, takes enormous strength to say this.

[ledge]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

What a champ. Hopefully some of the clowns that seemingly have taken some twisted joy in his on field struggle will read this and feel ashamed. Good on ya Boydy, takes enormous strength to say this.

I will be waiting for his unconditional apology in an article to Tom and the public for his behaviour in the press over the last 5 years.

[Throughandthrough]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

That’s a brilliant article. I’ve had similar shit in my life the last few years and opening up and chatting to mates and colleagues worked for me. Hope the big fella is going ok and has more good days and less bad days as time goes on

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

That’s a brilliant article. I’ve had similar shit in my life the last few years and opening up and chatting to mates and colleagues worked for me. Hope the big fella is going ok and has more good days and less bad days as time goes on

Don't be shy to get professional help if you need to. Hope you are ok.

[Throughandthrough]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

Don't be shy to get professional help if you need to. Hope you are ok.

Cheers Bad. My employer has a support programme that I took full advantage of. The first person was hopeless but the second was wonderful. A similar article by Ben Kennedy 12 months ago inspired me to get help , best thing I ever did

[westdog54]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

There's so much I want to say about this, and I don't know how to put it altogether. I like to think of myself as being articulate, but this time around, I've got nothing, except to say too many friends and colleagues have been bitten, and its fantastic that a courageous young man like Tom is going to front this initiative.

[Daughter of the West]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

I'm in total awe of the fact that Tom is only 22 (something I think that keeps being forgotten - especially by a***hole "journalists").

He is just a kid. A kid.

And it's HUGE that a kid can come out and be so thoughtful and mature about an issue that older people have swept under the carpet for so long. Well done to him for fronting this, it's wonderful.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

For some perspective, I was having many work related surgeries with the bonus of PTSD, depression and anxiety with no sleep too, and I couldn't/was unable to even post on this form for about 2.5 years back many years ago. Life can be unbearable, even moreso when you come back and BAD and GVGjr skip thousands of posts ahead and I'll never catch them up now .

So while I, and many like me (be it police, emergency services, armed services or civilians generally) couldn't function for a period, Tom is playing elite sport. Elite sport! I don't know how he is doing it, especially in the face of public hate and innuendo, but I can tell you this; Tom is one tough mother*!*!*!*!er! To train and play through this injury (what he describes is a serious injury) is courageous and a great example to all people to facing the same problem to seek help and to remind them to keep fighting through it to continue to do what you love. That courage is amplified by talking about it publicly, to risk the public hater's hate, but taking that risk on to help others. The definition of real leadership. And when said haters spew hate, we should all be reminded of what Tom has done through this as this is a window to his true character: Courageous, a fighter, of honesty & leadership and desiring to help others. A very good human and a true bulldog.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

This forum is further proof of the importance of what Tom is doing. There are SO many people out there suffering silently and what Tom is doing is going to help a lot of people not only speak openly about it but identify it. It can hit in very subtle ways. Funnily enough i pretty much had my rock bottom time around our premiership too. It was pretty strange feeling on top of the world yet at the same time feeling empty. Papering over the cracks is a good term for it.

[Mofra]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

Cheers Bad. My employer has a support programme that I took full advantage of. The first person was hopeless but the second was wonderful.

Good to hear.
I have also taken advantage of an Employee program, the first person was so bad I didn't seek help for almost 2 years but the second person was excellent.

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

Guys, I really wish you well in your recovery, it is important for your own health to seek help if you need it.

https://headspace.org.au/ This is the organisation Tom is part of.

[Axe Man]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

For some perspective, I was having many work related surgeries with the bonus of PTSD, depression and anxiety with no sleep too, and I couldn't/was unable to even post on this form for about 2.5 years back many years ago. Life can be unbearable, even moreso when you come back and BAD and GVGjr skip thousands of posts ahead and I'll never catch them up now .

So while I, and many like me (be it police, emergency services, armed services or civilians generally) couldn't function for a period, Tom is playing elite sport. Elite sport! I don't know how he is doing it, especially in the face of public hate and innuendo, but I can tell you this; Tom is one tough mother*!*!*!*!er! To train and play through this injury (what he describes is a serious injury) is courageous and a great example to all people to facing the same problem to seek help and to remind them to keep fighting through it to continue to do what you love. That courage is amplified by talking about it publicly, to risk the public hater's hate, but taking that risk on to help others. The definition of real leadership. And when said haters spew hate, we should all be reminded of what Tom has done through this as this is a window to his true character: Courageous, a fighter, of honesty & leadership and desiring to help others. A very good human and a true bulldog.

I know a former policeman with PTSD, he has had some terrible struggles in recent times. I really feel for all those who suffer from these sort of issues.

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

My husband is going through this at the moment. It's so hard for us all, and the hardest part is the feeling of shame that some men seem to feel when they become vulnerable. It's so ridiculous yet so powerful, and every time a public figure like Tom speaks about it, that shame disperses a little bit.

We have been here before and come out of it, so I'm hopeful that it won't last forever. But jeez, it's a hard road while it lasts. Nothing but admiration for Tom and for everyone here who has experienced the darkness and fought their way through to the other side.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Bulldog Tom Boyd talks about his anxiety, depression to support young men’s mental health

Tom was a hero in our Premiership Granny and he's equally heroic for this personal revelation: Doughty on both occasions.
This is a great effort to raise the public awareness of an all too frequent issue so often hidden.
Best wishes to both Tom and anyone else afflicted with such a debilitating condition for a full and speedy recovery, may the dark clouds roll away and stay away forever.