Depressed Ricky Hatton told psychiatrist ‘I’ll kill myself’ after run of defeats

  • Bookmark

    • Offbeat news from the world of sport

    Thank you for subscribing!

    Offbeat news from the world of sport

    We have more newsletters

    Ricky Hatton dropped to his knees in tears and told his psychiatrist “I’m going to kill myself” at the height of his depression.

    Boxing legend Hatton has given his most revealing interview yet about his mental health struggles since retiring – but is now looking to help others through tough times.

    The Hitman admits that he sat alone in his living room thinking about taking his own life after a run of defeats in the ring preceded huge fallouts with his family.

    And Hatton's mental health battles came to a crescendo when visiting a psychiatrist at his lowest point.

    READ MORE: From Grimsby to European glory — Ricky Hatton's incredible journey with Man City

    “I was sat in my living room and I was just thinking to myself 'you've got no boxing no more, you can't share what you've done with your mum and dad, you can't share it with your trainer, you haven't got a missus anymore’,” the former boxer said.

    “I thought what do I need to be here for? I didn't want to be here, I really didn't.

    “My girlfriend at the time got pregnant with my daughter Millie, and I thought 'come on Rick, it's not about you now, it's about the kids, get yourself together'. Even Millie couldn't get me back on track.

    “I was still down.

    “I went to speak to a psychiatrist in Manchester and threw myself on my knees and said 'you need to tell me what to do, I can't do it on my own, you need to tell me today what to do otherwise I won't be here next week, I'm going to kill myself'."

    The sessions thankfully worked with Hatton, 44, now in a much better place both mentally and physically.

    As well as the psychiatrist sessions, the Manc's mental health has been transformed by a renewed love of boxing training.

    He lost four stones in just 12 weeks ahead of his hugely successful celebration fight at the Manchester Arena last November.

    And the Hitman is now being courted for major TV work and will star in his own Sky documentary, which is out later this month.

    “Every time I went and saw the psychiatrist, I'd come out and just breathe a sigh of relief, it was unbelievable," he added.

    “It burns you up inside, you hold it in, hold it in, hold it in. [You think] I need to tell someone, need to tell someone, need to tell someone.

    “You don't because you feel you can't and it goes worse and worse. When I finally went to my psychiatrist and got it off my chest, I felt like I could start my life again.”

    Hatton's professional boxing career began in 1997 with his last bout coming in 2012 after a three year lay-off.

    He held multiple world championships at light-welterweight and one at welterweight and is regarded as one of the greatest British boxers of all time.

    But he's just as satisfied at overcoming his demons in recent years, having also fought off drug and alcohol addiction.

    Hatton continued: "I feel very very proud that my family and friends have seen me turn my life around.

    "I'm not just acting better, I'm physically looking better. My boxers that I train are getting a better trainer, my kids are getting a better father, my granddaughter is getting a better grandad.

    "I'm just in a better place all round. People have seen where I was a few years ago when I was suicidal, to see me present day, and hear me talk and tell a story, it has a double impact.

    "I used to be in the pub, I was drunk every night, taking loads of drugs, it was horrible for people to see.

    "When they see the Ricky Hatton of today, when I'm talking about it with the charities and motivational speaking, I'd like to think I'm helping a lot of people. That helps my own mental health."

    Hatton made the extraordinary revelations to support the Campaign Against Living Miserably’s (CALM) suicide prevention work.

    The avid Manchester City fan, who was also in Tyson Fury's corner for his 2018 draw against Deontay Wilder, is hopeful his actions speak just as loud as his words for others struggling.

    "It's a bad time for mental health, people out there are suffering," Hatton emotionally explained as stats show suicide kills 125 people a week in the UK with 75% being male. "As long as I'm here, I want to help people.

    "Bad times don't last forever, you think they will but they don't. They won't last forever if you go to speak to someone.

    "If a former world boxing champion who won four world titles… I'm supposed to be a tough guy, I couldn't do it myself. It doesn't matter what I did in the boxing ring, I needed help.

    "Never be scared to admit that you need help, I promise you it's the best thing you'll ever do."

    Not only has Hatton overcome his own demons, he has used his experience to champion much need skills such as resilience, preparation, adaptability and perspective – working with some of the UK’s biggest employers to keep their staff safe and happy.

    Hatton said: “After the pandemic things have been tough for a lot of people, there has been a lot of change and sometimes people don’t know how to adjust to that.

    “I am really enjoying being able to take what I learned in my career and since my retirement and use it to help Britain’s workforce to deal with the punches that life throws at them.”

    CALM operates a 5pm-midnight helpline (0800 585858) for anyone struggling. There is also a webchat service on its website www.thecalmzone.net

    Hatton, a new and exclusive #SkyOriginal documentary will air on #SkyDocumentaries August 31.

    • Ricky Hatton
    • Family
    • Exclusives
    • Boxing

    Source: Read Full Article