"It's different now" - UFC star pens powerful message in favor of "grown men getting therapy" day after teammate Sean Strickland trashed the idea
UFC middleweight Chris Curtis took to social media to advocate for therapy, a day after fellow fighter and teammate Sean Strickland publicly rejected his girlfriend's suggestion that he seek professional help.
Strickland, known for his brash persona inside and outside the octagon, revealed on social media that his girlfriend had encouraged him to begin therapy sessions. Strickland, however, was resistant to the idea, implying that therapy was a sign of weakness.
In a post, the former middleweight champion stated that his girlfriend's suggestion stemmed from a desire to see him become more vulnerable. 'Tarzan' wrote:
“So the GF says I need therapy because she thinks I'm angry. She says you don't trust anyone and you think everyone is out to get you.... BUT.... I've yet to be proven this isn't the case. So conclusion I think she's trying to make me weak..... what does she have planned?!?!”
Check out Sean Strickland's post below:
Curtis, a teammate of Strickland's at Xtreme Couture, countered this narrative with a message emphasizing the importance of mental health support in today's world. Curtis implored men to shed the stigmas associated with therapy, acknowledging the differences between generations.
The ‘Action Man’ wrote:
“We need to normalize grown men getting therapy. We aren't our fathers. Things are not the same. Our fathers never grew up with the world at their fingertips, being connected to the entire planet at all times. It's different now. It's ok to seek help. You deserve to be happy.”
Check out Chris Curtis's post below:
When Sean Strickland opened up about his mental health struggles in the past
UFC middleweight Sean Strickland recently opened up about his struggles with mental health, despite achieving fame and fortune in the fighting world.
Strickland dethroned Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title in 2023 but lost it to Dricus du Plessis earlier this year. In an Instagram video, Strickland admitted to feeling like a danger to others and expressed confusion about his mental state:
"All week I've been f**ked up, dude. I've been on the Twitter saying crazy s**t just f**king spiraling. I woke up and I told my girl - I was like, 'babe, I feel like I'm a danger to people. I don't feel like I should be out in the world'. You know, I have everything. I'm rich. I'm famous. Like, I have everything I've ever f**king wanted and I still am mentally unwell and I get in these mindsets to where I want to burn everything down in the world."
This isn't the first time Strickland has addressed his mental health. He previously discussed childhood trauma on Theo Von's podcast and admitted to contemplating therapy, but fearing it might unleash buried anger:
"I've thought about going to therapy once, Well Sean let's talk about these repressed memories that are holding back personal growth" By the end of it I'm going to be loading a magazine crossing names off a list.... Some shit should just stay buried lol!!!"