Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe, who passed away on August 5, was battling depression and anxiety for the past two years, his wife Amanda recently revealed. She also said that the 55-year-old, who died after being struck by a train at England's Esher Railway station, took his own life. Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better," Thorpe's wife was quoted as saying by 'The Times'. "He was so unwell in recent times and he did believe that we would be better off without him and we are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life. For the past couple of years, Graham had been suffering from major depression and anxiety.
This led him to make a serious attempt on his life in May 2022, which resulted in a prolonged stay in an intensive care unit," she said. His wife revealed that despite his work assignments, Thorpe continued to suffer. "Despite glimpses of hope and the old Graham, he continued to suffer from depression and anxiety, which at times got very severe. We supported him as a family and he tried many, many treatments but unfortunately, none of them seemed to work, she said.
Understanding male depression
A medical condition that many men ignore and thereby not take treatment for, male depression is something that's often hidden by unhealthy coping behaviour, according to the Mayo Clinic. Male depression can be quite different from that of female depression due to the various healthy and unhealthy coping strategies employed by the gender, driven by conservative views that discourage expressing emotions or taking help. A few of the symptoms of the condition are:
1) Fatigue, sadness, hopelessness and a feeling of emptiness
2) Difficulty in getting along with family members and friends and indulging in escapist behaviour for the same
3) Substance abuse
4) Abusive, violent behaviour coupled with anger and irritability
5) Indulging in reckless activities
6) Regular digestive issues, headaches and exhaustion.
If close friends or family observe these traits, it would be helpful to connect the patient with healthcare providers for a timely intervention.
