Welsh footballers open up over mental health
Mental health is a major issue for people across Wales, thousands of men, women and children struggle every day, and can feel isolated and lonely because of that. The Wales men’s national team are speaking out about their own struggles, and their ways of coping, and why forming bonds with those closest to us is so important to people all around Wales.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 But I think it's just about, yeah, first looking at yourself, but then also making sure that
00:08 we educate ourselves better. We have these difficult conversations that I think people
00:12 sometimes are scared to have.
00:14 Mental health is one of the most important issues in society nowadays, and there is always
00:18 a focus on how to cope with difficult times and look after ourselves. But it's not just
00:22 about ourselves and our relationships with other people, some of the most impactful aspects
00:26 of maintaining good mental health. The Welsh players think being open and honest is the
00:30 first key step into forming those important relationships.
00:34 I think for me and my partner it would just be about them knowing as much about me as
00:39 possible and as much about what I'm thinking and how I'm feeling as possible, and just
00:44 being open and honest with those. And I think that when you've been with someone a long
00:48 time or you get to know someone, I think even in this changing room now where we've been
00:53 with each other a long time, we can be open and honest about those things because it's
00:57 going to benefit yourself but also the other person or the group. And yeah, that would
01:03 be my answer, just being as open and as honest as possible so that the other person can know
01:09 as much about you and what's going on in your life as possible.
01:13 Thousands of kids around Wales will watch the team play and idolise the players. They
01:17 can't escape the fact that they are important role models for young people. But even superstar
01:21 footballers have role models of their own who they look up to and aspire to be like.
01:26 You talk about role models to pick people you think are similar to you, and I think
01:32 that's why we've probably all gone down the route of looking at footballers or dads in
01:36 that sense. But if I look at my life now, probably the biggest role model I have in
01:39 my life is my wife. We spend pretty much every spare bit of time I have together and I think
01:46 she makes me a better person. And I get to speak about any issues that I have going on,
01:51 but even talking about stuff like that, just getting it off my chest, it goes a long way.
01:55 And yeah, I'm very grateful to have her in my life.
01:59 Our own mental health is important, but that means we need to help look after the people
02:03 around us. The players say it's not as easy as just looking after ourselves, but also
02:08 looking at our behaviour and the behaviour of the people closest to us.
02:12 I think if you see a behaviour that you don't think is correct or right or is inappropriate,
02:18 I think it's quite pivotal really that you kind of pull them up on it. I think if my
02:24 friends were acting a certain way out in public or in their relationships or whatever it may
02:30 be, I think if I don't want to be associated with that type of thing, I'd definitely pull
02:34 them up on it. And yeah, I think you're only as good as the company you keep. And I think
02:40 yeah, you obviously want people around you, how you want to behave and how you want to
02:45 be seen to the world. And I think, yeah, it's very important.
02:48 David Brooks, Ben Davis and Joe Morrell are footballers. They do a great job on the pitch
02:51 for Wales, but it's easy to forget that everyone struggles with mental health. They encourage
02:56 all of us to take a minute to talk to our friends and family and look after ourselves
03:00 and our loved ones. James Beach Watkins, Local TV.
03:03 [BLANK_AUDIO]