[Cricket] Graham Thorpe RIP

[ROSM]

Moving article in The Times today from Athers.

Graham Thorpe killed himself after two years of depression. Cricket has a problem with mental health. David Bairstow, Marcus Trescothick, Mark Ramprakash etc and now this.

Times (Paywall)

I read that - incredible article and pleased the times appear to have moved it outside of paywall.

You hope that as @Lenny Rider says, we get greater support to stop the relentless path of this disease.

im not a psychologist or a doctor but i do wonder if being incolved regularly in high adrenaline activities like sportspeople are does leave them vulnerable when the sport ends. Whether it's drugs, alcoholism gambling or other mental health issue.

 

[Eeyore]

There's actually a book about cricket and suicides - By his Own Hand by David Frith. it's a long-standing issue in the game. Rather poignantly, the book's foreword is written by Peter Roebuck (who also took his own life)

It's terribly sad to think about Thorpe in such a state and not able to find help but it's a story that's been told so many times

Yeah, I was going to say, cricket is rife with suicides. Especially in the older days. I had often wondered what happened in 2022 as we had heard nothing of Graham since. I feel sorry for Mark Butcher at al who were doing obituaries because they would have been aware of what had happened.

Cricket in the UK is very good at highlighting issues. I hope this gives them some stimulus to take this one on.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Its not just cricket the UK has a problem with both mental health and a suicide epidemic, and until the authorities publicly acknowledge this, and start doing something positive, sadly Graham Thorpe will just be another statistic.

Cricket….the UK is not unique to mental health issues…a quick google will show that people the world over suffer….i’d agree the authorities can probably do more to raise awareness….get the right help to those who need it …his family have obviously been very supportive and if there is a positive here then it’s that they’ve been able to ‘get it out there’ (feeling no shame) to say look here’s a person who was very successful and yet he suffered so much that in the end he thought it was best that he wasn’t around ….incredibly sad

 

[fly high]

There's actually a book about cricket and suicides - By his Own Hand by David Frith. it's a long-standing issue in the game. Rather poignantly, the book's foreword is written by Peter Roebuck (who also took his own life)

It's terribly sad to think about Thorpe in such a state and not able to find help but it's a story that's been told so many times

Sadly not everyone looks for help or refuses it. Back in 2010 a neighbour committed suicide, his wife had spent years trying to help and trying to get him to accept professional help. She thought she'd finally got through when he agreed to an appointment. She went out to visit friends but when she got home he was in the garage. Took her some time to get over the shock.

 

[DJ NOBO]

I don't have the words to describe how horrible that is.

When I saw this thread had popped back up, and before opening it, it reminded me that last week Cricket Australia put up the highlights of his hundred at the WACA in 1995. It's well worth a watch.

England cricket in the 90s has a bad rep but we had several excellent players, like Thorpe.
It just so happened they were often up against possibly the two greatest-ever teams. Pakistan weren’t bad either.

 

[DJ NOBO]

I am currently reading Robin Smith’s book. He and Thorpe had much in common.
Destined for greatness at an early age, fun loving, cricket-obsessive, sex mad, insecure, Adrenalin junkies.
They loved life on the road, the buzz of batting and pulling women.
It‘s not a big surprise that the mundanities of post-fame life - middle age, relationship problems, stuck at home - caught up with them.
Smith ended up back living with his parents, and then homeless. He pondered taking his own life but seems to have come out the other side.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Utterly tragic. Wonderful player and clearly family man, having not experienced those feelings, it makes me so sad to think anyone can feel that low.

It does seem to be a recurring issue with cricket which is particularly hard to comprehend for those of us who love the game and find it a great escape from our own stresses. Our own Michael Yardy has obviously struggled with mental health and I always remember that complete **** Alan Brazil and some two bit journalist taking the piss out of him for it on talkSport one morning about 12 years ago or something. Thankfully the coverage of mental health in sport has improved a lot in the media in recent years and there is generally a greater understanding and sympathy.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I had heard rumours that his hospitalisation in 2022 was due to a failed suicide attempt. Given his sudden passing, I'd assumed that it was a long-term physical illness (ongoing since 2022) that had eventually taken his life. Absolutely heart breaking to hear the updated news today.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Cricket….the UK is not unique to mental health issues…a quick google will show that people the world over suffer….i’d agree the authorities can probably do more to raise awareness….get the right help to those who need it …his family have obviously been very supportive and if there is a positive here then it’s that they’ve been able to ‘get it out there’ (feeling no shame) to say look here’s a person who was very successful and yet he suffered so much that in the end he thought it was best that he wasn’t around ….incredibly sad

From the outset old boy I consider we are both on the same side here, and whilst I appreciate the UK is not unique to mental health issues I do feel the Govt (s), both past and present, should be doing more.

Funding an extensive NHS counselling network would be a start, rather than relying on the multi million pound industry the Anti Depressant drug market provides, I would imagine almost everyone who are part of the now record UK adult suicide figures were on some form of medication prior to taking their own life, so clearly in many cases, they don't work, so we need to look at other solutions, ie the counselling route.

 

[Southern Scouse]

Tragic

 

[LamieRobertson]

From the outset old boy I consider we are both on the same side here, and whilst I appreciate the UK is not unique to mental health issues I do feel the Govt (s), both past and present, should be doing more.

Funding an extensive NHS counselling network would be a start, rather than relying on the multi million pound industry the Anti Depressant drug market provides, I would imagine almost everyone who are part of the now record UK adult suicide figures were on some form of medication prior to taking their own life, so clearly in many cases, they don't work, so we need to look at other solutions, ie the counselling route.

“From the outset old boy I consider we are both on the same side here”

 

[El Presidente]

Whilst it was good to see the 1961 Suicide Act revoked recently in terms of suicide being deemed a criminal act, we still perhaps use the phrase “committed suicide” as a result of said legislation.

Criminals commit murder, arson, rape, theft, fraud etc. Suicide is very different, not a crime. It is the biggest cause of death for under 35’s overall, and the biggest killer of men under 50. As @Lenny Rider said, not enough is being done.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Whilst it was good to see the 1961 Suicide Act revoked recently in terms of suicide being deemed a criminal act, we still perhaps use the phrase “committed suicide” as a result of said legislation.

Criminals commit murder, arson, rape, theft, fraud etc. Suicide is very different, not a crime. It is the biggest cause of death for under 35’s overall, and the biggest killer of men under 50. As @Lenny Rider said, not enough is being done.

Just to add…suicide doesn’t stop being a profilic killer of men once they pass 50. Far from it. It is just that other fatal conditions come more into play as we get older.

 

[Durlston]

I know it's a very different sport entirely but snooker has had a lot of players suffer from depression as well - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Selby, Ali Carter, Mark Allen, Graeme Dott and John Higgins amongst others. Although they've mostly had off-table issues with relationship break-ups, struggling with grief, getting into debt etc, I think the similarity between cricket and snooker is that players become obsessed with numbers. I once heard O'Sullivan say you score 80 points, win the frame and keep having to repeat the process over and over again until you're mentally drained. I expect that's exactly the same with cricketers and scoring runs.

I feel really sad for Graham Thorpe in that he wasn't able to overcome his chronic depression and obviously his family he's left behind. There needs to be more funding for mental health in sport - especially for players who have finished their careers.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Whilst it was good to see the 1961 Suicide Act revoked recently in terms of suicide being deemed a criminal act, we still perhaps use the phrase “committed suicide” as a result of said legislation.

Criminals commit murder, arson, rape, theft, fraud etc. Suicide is very different, not a crime. It is the biggest cause of death for under 35’s overall, and the biggest killer of men under 50. As @Lenny Rider said, not enough is being done.

When I first started funeral directing nearly 40 years ago, the Catholic Church, courtesy of Pope John Paul 2, had only just started letting suicide victims have a service in Church as it was previously deemed a sin and a Mass was not an option.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Former boxing champion Ricky Hatton tried to kill himself while battling depression

The two-weight world title holder admitted there was a huge gap in his life after retiring from a career that saw him take on the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao in front of his army of supporters in Las Vegas

www.theguardian.com

Thankfully one British sporting icon who has emerged the other side from that dark cloud of depression

 

[Durlston]

Former boxing champion Ricky Hatton tried to kill himself while battling depression

The two-weight world title holder admitted there was a huge gap in his life after retiring from a career that saw him take on the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao in front of his army of supporters in Las Vegas

www.theguardian.com

Thankfully one British sporting icon who has emerged the other side from that dark cloud of depression

And Frank Bruno - another boxing legend.

 

[raymondo]

I know it's a very different sport entirely but snooker has had a lot of players suffer from depression as well - Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Selby, Ali Carter, Mark Allen, Graeme Dott and John Higgins amongst others. Although they've mostly had off-table issues with relationship break-ups, struggling with grief, getting into debt etc, I think the similarity between cricket and snooker is that players become obsessed with numbers. I once heard O'Sullivan say you score 80 points, win the frame and keep having to repeat the process over and over again until you're mentally drained. I expect that's exactly the same with cricketers and scoring runs.

I feel really sad for Graham Thorpe in that he wasn't able to overcome his chronic depression and obviously his family he's left behind. There needs to be more funding for mental health in sport - especially for players who have finished their careers.

Agreed.
There's plenty of money in sport, no excuses for the sport authorities not doing more.

 

[Weststander]

From the outset old boy I consider we are both on the same side here, and whilst I appreciate the UK is not unique to mental health issues I do feel the Govt (s), both past and present, should be doing more.

Funding an extensive NHS counselling network would be a start, rather than relying on the multi million pound industry the Anti Depressant drug market provides, I would imagine almost everyone who are part of the now record UK adult suicide figures were on some form of medication prior to taking their own life, so clearly in many cases, they don't work, so we need to look at other solutions, ie the counselling route.

I know directly through several loved ones that antidepressants are a literal lifesaver. At least two people wouldn’t be with us today if it wasn’t for that vital intervention. No annoyance from us against the pharma industry.

The huge failing, but it wouldn’t necessarily affect those with money, is the collapse of the NHS Wellbeing/CAMHS service. Starved of funds. A disgrace.

It’s a two pronged approach.

 

[dangull]

Just read that his body was found at a railway line. Even worse he opted for such a violent end. I guess he wanted to make sure this time.
Mental illness must be a terrible thing.