Flintoff has opened up about his battle with depression and bulimia in an interview with The Mirror.
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Former England cricket star Andrew Flintoff he battled both depression and bulimia even while at the peak of his glittering career.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Mirror, Flintoff admitted he would most likely need to take anti-depressants for the rest of his life.
“I see it like if I was injured I would have an operation and if there was something wrong with my leg I’d see the physio,” he told The Mirror.
“Your head is exactly the same. I still see someone regularly. Not all the time, but yeah, it’s just one of those things.
“I’m more aware of myself as I’ve got older – how I feel, and again it’s something I’m more comfortable with now. If I need help, I’ll say something.
“My anti-depressants need to be reviewed every now and then, but the possibility of being on them always doesn’t bother me at all.”
Flintoff says being on anti-depressants now is no different to when he had to take painkillers during his playing career.
“I had to take medication when I was playing – painkillers for my body – and it’s no different,” Flintoff said.
“One in four people are affected by mental health issues so it is going to affect people in every walk of life.
“And that’s one of the good things about being in the public eye, one of the things that’s overlooked… that if you can help people, then what you’ve done or been through almost starts to makes sense. Ultimately, everyone is the same.”
Flintoff, who most recently played for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, also opened up on his battle with bulimia.
The 37-year-old said the turning point came when his wife Rachel caught him in the act after eating an expensive meal in Dubai.
“The turning point came when my wife caught me. We’d eaten at this amazing restaurant downstairs in the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai,” he continued.
“It cost an arm and a leg, and the portions were tiny, and I was throwing it up, thinking ‘What are you doing?’.”
Flintoff has become one of the UK’s most ardent campaigner on mental health issues.
He retired from Test cricket in September 2009, following England’s 2-1 Ashes win over Australia.
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