Stephen Warnock Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles After Retirement
Former English footballer Stephen Warnock has bravely revealed his battle with depression and suicidal thoughts after ending his professional career. Warnock, a defender who played for Liverpool, Aston Villa, and the England national team, spoke openly about his struggles in an interview with Sky Sports as part of their Real Talk series.
From Passion to Despair
The former Liverpool defender, who made over 550 appearances across 16 seasons, admitted to losing his love for the game towards the end of his career. This decline in passion, coupled with a feeling of underachievement, led him down a dark path.
“I felt frustrated with football,” he said. “It became difficult… I wasn’t playing the way I wanted to, and that depressed me. Now I look back and think, ‘wow, I was massively depressed for years.'” “Like i contemplated taking my own life, i was like i’m done”
Warnock went on to reveal that he believes he had mentally retired at 31, four years before his official retirement at 35.
Financial Pressures and Loss of Identity
Further complicating matters were financial pressures brought on by a bad investment. The ex Liverpool man blames this “ill-advised” suggestion from his financial advisor for extending his career beyond the point where it brought him joy.
“The financial advice, coupled with the harsh reality of retirement, created a perfect storm,” he explained. “I didn’t sleep properly for six years… I was constantly thinking about how to get out of this.”
Looking back, The former Liverpool defender acknowledges that money wasn’t everything. He admits to questioning his entire career and viewing himself as a failure.
“I looked back on my career and thought I was a failure,” he said. “After you retire, people come out [of football] and just think life’s going to be okay. But it’s about what’s going to give you that buzz… If you find that quickly, you’re okay – but you’ve got to find it.”
The former Liverpool player also highlighted the loss of structure that comes with leaving professional sports behind.
“The one thing I liken this to is that football’s like the army,” he said. “You lose that structure, and it’s so difficult to replace.”
Rock Bottom and a Spark of Hope
The emotional toll of these struggles eventually manifested in the breakdown of Warnock’s marriage and a period of estrangement from his children. It was during this time of profound despair that a chance encounter with an old friend proved to be a turning point.
This friend, who was training to be a therapist, unknowingly offered the ex Liverpool star a lifeline with the simple advice to find a way to “be content.” While the advice seemed insignificant at first, it resonated with Warnock months later.
“I didn’t know what he meant when he first said it,” Warnock recalled. “But eight or nine months later I rang him… He told me I looked a mess and sounded it, but that he’d make me feel better within two weeks.”
Ex-Liverpool Star Therapy and the Road to Recovery
Through therapy sessions, Warnock began to unpack the emotional baggage he had been carrying.
“There were a lot of tears, there was a lot of honesty,” he said. “I remember coming off that call and thinking I felt so different within one session… It was like a fix, I needed it.”
The former Liverpool man credits therapy with saving his life. It not only helped him process his difficult emotions but also allowed him to reconnect with his children and view his career in a more positive light.
“They [his children] could notice a difference in me,” he said. “I started to get a sense of looking back on my career and not being disappointed in it.”
The positive changes in Warnock’s life were evident even to outside observers.
“He [the therapist] said he’d watched me on TV and my voice sounded different… I looked confident,” Warnock shared. “And I felt so proud, because I knew how much I’d been through.”
Stephen Warnock’s story is a powerful reminder that mental health struggles can impact anyone, even successful athletes. It also highlights the importance of seeking help and the positive impact that therapy can have on our lives.
