I did not see any value in myself or hope for a future where I was useful to others. I was a weak failure in my own eyes. Growing up, my parent´s divorce left a darkness hanging over me, and I sought external recognition to gain a sense of worth and found it in football. I indulged in any sense of performance, which became my life’s path. On the brink of my breakthrough as a professional footballer, I sought a career in the police as I needed something more meaningful. As I had suppressed my feelings for decades, I again ducked into performance, and my need for constant recognition drove my body to the brink. After a series of physical warning signs and injuries, I could not get out of the darkness of my mind and the constant anxiety that drained my body of energy. My shame kept me a prisoner from sharing how I felt even to those closest to me because, as a man, I felt that I had to endure.

See how a moment of suicidal tendencies scared me into deciding that I would not leave my boys without a father. I still struggled for months, but eventually, I moved past my shame and gave professional help another chance with my mother’s support. Learn how a professional helped me change my perspective and understand new aspects of my mental health. Choosing openness helped me establish a support network of people around me that helped me recover and manage the ups and downs. I returned to work and decided to use my story to create a space for openness in the police force and society.