A GAA star has told of his battle with depression and how he planned to take his own life during the depths of his struggles.
Conor Cusack – younger brother of legendary Cork goalkeeper Donal Og – wrote a frank and open account of his experiences just days after Galway hurling star, Niall Donohue, ended his own life.
Conor – a member of Cloyne GAA club, played for Cork in the 2006 All Ireland hurling final – recalled in his blog how he contemplated taking his own life but the opportunity did not arise when his mother stayed at home from Mass, and instead he went to seek help.
"Depression is difficult to explain to people. If you have experienced it there is no need, if you haven't, I don't think there are words adequate to describe its horror.
"I have had a lot of injuries playing hurling – snapped cruciates, broken bones in my hands 11 times, had my lips sliced in half and all my upper teeth blown out but none of them come anywhere near the physical pain and mental torture of depression.
"It permeates every part of your being, from your head to your toes. It is never ending."
ENCOURAGEMENT
Ultimately, with the encouragement of his mother, Conor began speaking with a clinical psychologist to overcome his trauma.
"Therapy is a challenging experience. It's not easy baring your soul.
"My path back to health was one of making progress, then slipping and making progress again. It was far from straightforward," Conor wrote.
"I believe depression is a message from a part of your being to tell you something in your life isn't right and you need to look at it. It forced me to stop and seek within for answers.
"For those people who are currently gripped by depression, either experiencing it or are supporting or living with someone with it, I hope my story helps," he writes.
"There is no situation that is without hope, there is no person that can't overcome their present difficulties. For those that are suffering silently, there is help out there and you are definitely not alone."
Former Ireland rugby out-half Ronan O'Gara described it as a "great article" and said it demonstrated that all people "can find a solution" to their problems.
hnews@herald.ie

