Beating the blues

By Bridget Brady
SPEAKING out about his battle with depression was a daunting task for former AFL player Nathan Thompson, but the best way to help him move forward, he says.
The beyondblue ambassador and former Hawthorn and North Melbourne footballer came public with his depression while playing for Hawthorn in 2004.
Beyondblue is the charity partner for this year’s event.
He told the News he had hidden his depression for a while and it got to the stage where he couldn’t control it.
“I had not even really told any of my close friends and family, let alone speak to anyone publicly about it,” he said.
“It was quite daunting at the time. But in doing so it was the only way to go about it because it would have been more trouble to try and hide it.”
Mr Thompson, 31, was diagnosed with severe clinical depression and said it was difficult to measure just how it affected his life.
He recalled struggling to sleep, having a nervous breakdown, and taking a week or two off football.
“Mentally I’d hit the wall and it really got to the stage where I was not going to be able to compete as an athlete.”
Mr Thompson said other footballers had been known to battle with difficult issues, but was one of the first to hold a press conference to discuss depression.
He encouraged others to seek help if they needed it.
“The main thing is if they are feeling down and there is problem there that they don’t just hide it. It is an illness and it can be treated and you’ve got to get on the front foot and get some treatment for it.”