Uriah Hall talks about falling into depression and having suicidal thoughts following retirement from MMA
Former UFC fighter Uriah Hall opened up about how he developed "deep depression" following his retirement from MMA.
Trigger Warning: This story contains topics about depression, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm.
'Primetime' spoke to reporters after an open workout session for his pro boxing debut against Le’Veon Bell on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva. During his interview, the former UFC middleweight contender revealed that he struggled to find purpose after leaving the only job he has known in his entire life.
"I spent the last 20 years of my life committing myself, my soul, to one attribute, and then all of a sudden, it’s gone, it’s taken away. So it was some really dark, deep places, and luckily, I had the right people around me to support me."
Watch Uriah Hall's interview below:
Uriah Hall opened up about struggling with "deep depression" after retiring from MMA.
Content warning: Video includes mentions of suicide and self harm and contains details that may be disturbing for some watching. https://t.co/o8jngDsWuc
Uriah Hall added that his condition got to a point where he contemplated taking his own life. That's when he realized that he seriously needed help. Hall continued:
"When I say I felt depressed, I even at one point looked at my firearm, like, 'Wait a minute, I could go down a really dark path if I don’t get out of this.' People don't really talk about that sh*t, you know. Depression is a real thing. And if you don't have the right support group and support system, you won't get out of it. If you look at people like Robin Williams all those types of people, you're like, 'How the f*** did you kill yourself?' I get it [now]. At that moment, I finally f***ing understood.'"
Uriah Hall sends comforting message to people dealing with depression
Uriah Hall also confessed that he initially didn't want to talk to anybody about his mental state. Looking back, Hall realized that he was conditioned by society to keep his emotions to himself.
With that in mind, Hall encouraged people dealing with depression to open up. He added that at the very least, getting out of bed and staying active helps.
"I encourage people. I know it's hard to even talk about it or talk to someone about it, but I know activeness does something. Literally by me just getting up and walking outside, it helped my mentality."
Watch the video below:
"I know I'd rather they cry on my shoulder than go to his funeral next week. ... Let's get rid of this stigma and men start talking."
Paddy Pimblett on men's mental health after his @ufc win today. He found out Friday that his friend had killed himself.
https://t.co/ZpdnmQ2fU9
Earlier this year, UFC rising star Paddy Pimblett sent a similar message after his friend ended up taking his life. 'The Baddy' encouraged people, especially men, to open up about their mental health struggles as can be seen in the video above.