Hibs boss Neil Lennon reveals impact of depression on his career
He's speaking out as part of a new national campaign
Hibs boss Neil Lennon says crippling depression overshadowed some of the biggest matches in his career.
He's using his experiences to support young players dealing with similar situations, while backing a campaign from the charity "See Me" looking to change the culture of fear and silence around mental health.
The Northern Irishman is supporting the Power of Okay campaign to tackle mental health stigma at work, after revealing he didn’t speak to his team mates when he was first diagnosed.
He said not being able to do that left him feeling “paranoid.”
He said: “I woke up one morning and I just knew there wasn’t something right with me. My thought process was different, I was feeling different, the main thing was the football, I just didn’t want to be there.
“I didn’t tell anyone at first, but I became paranoid because I knew I was acting differently, not engaging or laughing or communicating on the pitch. Which were all things I did before.
“It was obvious something was wrong. When I started to feel better I confided in one or two players and they said they knew something was wrong and were supportive although didn’t have a great understanding.”
He is working with See Me to show that we can all help if someone tells us they are not okay, building on his experiences as a manager at Celtic and Bolton.
He said: “I’ve noticed it in one or two players at the clubs that I have managed.
“I quietly have them into the office, I have a chat with them, speak to them about my own experiences with depression and said I could recognise what they were going through. I took them to see the club doctor and we spoke it through and got them on the right road again.
“I would say, ‘do you want me to speak to the captain of the team, or your pals in the squad’, if it’s a no then I will leave it and if it’s a yes we help them out.
“People shouldn’t feel like they are on their own, because they’re not. There are plenty of people out there who will help you.
“In any walk of life, whether you’re an office manager, a bank manager, you’re the leader of a group of people at work or in any other walk of life then it is good to up to speed with mental health, and if you notice it quickly then you can get someone back on track a lot quicker.
“If you see someone struggling, rather than being worried about saying the wrong thing, just ask them if they are okay.”
Lisa Cohen, See Me’s national programme manager said: “We are calling for a change in culture in organisations so workers can speak openly if they need help with their mental health, without worrying about the consequences.
“To reduce stigma we all need to be comfortable asking each other, ‘are you okay’ and open up conversations about how we really feel.
“However if someone says they are not okay, people are worried they won’t know how to help, or could even make things worse.
“With our new campaign we want to show that reassuring someone that you are there for them, that you care and they can speak to you in confidence, can make a huge difference."