A Footballer’s Story of Mental Illness And Recovery, with Heath Black

“No matter how strong you are on the outside, you can’t do it alone”. This is Heath Black’s message to anyone suffering from Mental Illness. And he should know. As an AFL player, he reached his physical peak and lived a life many people dream of. But on the inside, he was crumbling. And eventually, it all came tumbling down in a public fall from grace. 

In this raw and honest interview, Heath shares his story of mental illness and how it almost drove him to the edge. He gives a first-hand account of being drafted as a professional footballer at the age of 17 and having money and stardom thrust upon him. He tells of his early struggles with anxiety and how his onfield career peaked just as his off-field life was falling to pieces. He then turned to alcohol as a way to numb the pain and developed an addiction to this and other destructive behaviours. This lead to a series of misdemeanours, including violence and drinking charges. Heath narrowly avoided prison and was ordered to undertake rehabilitation. 

Today, he still struggles with mental health issues which include ADHD, Bipolar, OCD and Social Anxiety Disorder. But through a combination of medication and lifestyle changes, Heath has pulled his life back together and now works as a Mental Health Advocate where he uses his story and profile to educate other people about Mental Health. 

Heath is also a Stay At Home Dad taking care of four children including one on the autism spectrum. And as you will hear, Heath uses his own experience to help teach his kids about emotions and mental health. 

Openly discussing mental health is an important way to break the stigma and encourage more people to seek help when needed. 

I’m grateful that Heath is willing to share his personal story and offer real-life advice to others in a similar situation. 

For anyone who has suffered from mental illness or knows someone who has, then this interview will help you realise that you are not alone and it is possible to seek help and come out the other side.

What you'll learn

• Heath’s early life and spending wild weekends with his dad
• Being drafted as a professional footballer at age 17
• Moving to Fremantle and his fear of flying
• Playing at St.Kilda with Robert Harvey, Nathan Burke and a young Nick Riewoldt 
• How his first marriage fell apart and ended in divorce
• His addiction to binge drinking and other destructive behaviours
• His public misdemeanours, losing his job and narrowly avoiding jail
• His mental health diagnosis
• Some of the medications and other therapies he uses to manage his condition
• His current life as a Stay At Home Dad with four kids including one on the autism spectrum
• How he encourages his family to discuss emotions
• His current work as a Mental Health Advocate
• Changes in attitudes over the last 10 years 
• Heath Black’s advice for anyone experiencing Mental Health Problems

More  information
Show notes and further resources related to this interview are available at https://thedadtrain.com/5