‘Not an excuse, but may explain why?’

By Simon Gillard - "Quick Blog"

2 February 2019

The Luke O’Donnell video that has been released recently - former NRL premiership winning first grader and State of Origin player is quite horrific to watch (link at bottom)... he carried on like a complete crazed man. He was one of the strongest football players going around some years ago and from the footage he still looks like he is made out of stone. There is no excuse for his behaviour...but is there an explanation?

What is not being looked at, is as to the underpinning ‘why’ he would react with such neglect for himself and his family. It is highly related to a cry for help due to - ‘Identity crisis!’

Identity crisis has its own cruel means to make a person feel worthless, hopeless, lost and overtime can be a strong contributor to depression and substance abuse. In particularly foravoidance. He was at the top of his game and a ‘someone’ with meaning and purpose. Fouryears ago at age 34 he retired... where to now at still a young age?

The Daily Telegraph article 31 January 2019

Professional sportspeople need to have purpose and meaning after they retire as their career has a clocked timeframe and, when this is not in place, not having that meaning can create havoc.

The suicide of NRL player Chad Robinson in 2016 has all the same hallmarks. Chad too was lost after a great career! Identity Crisis is cruel and support is greatly needed for any transition in these terms. Purpose for waking each day thereafter...

I can say this from experience losing my dream career as a NSW Police Detective Sergeant at 35 years of age due to PTSD. I started my childhood dream as a policeman at 19 years young and had so much more to give, but bang, it was all over! I had all my eggs such as bachelor degrees, Advanced Diplomas etc all in the one police basket - for life.

But, Who was I? Who am I? What can I do? I had lost my identity! Friendships that I thought were strong, when on the inside, slowly dwindled away.

It was a terrible time dealing with a mental Injury but also with a loss of self, meaning and purpose.

Alike Emergency Services, Military, Nurses, Corrections etc when careers are cut short elite athletes can have the same identity crisis when they are either injured or too old to play at the pinnacle level they once did.

Exiting a purpose requires another purpose to be exposed... support by the organisations to the individual is paramount!

As I said - ‘Not an excuse, but perhaps an explanation as to the why’

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