Robin Lehner opens up about his addiction and bipolar diagnosis

[sureLoss]

I believe this has been unlocked so you can read it even if you don't have an Athletic subscription.

https://theathletic.com/522117/2018/...e-in-my-brain/

Life does go on living without you being around. One of the hardest things now was getting back to hockey. I am an addict that was diagnosed as bipolar and ADHD with PTSD and trauma. I had never had a sober season of hockey my entire career. Those manic swings, I could see the pattern. When I was hypomanic and in a good mood, I was a solid goalie. The depressive state, not so much.

But now there is a new reality. I can focus on my career.

[GordonBlue]

makes you wonder really how many players we've dismissed were really suffering and battling issues and trying to suck it up and self manage their conditions.
the ones who never lived up to expectations, or always seems to be a screw up, or why they could look good for a short burst and go back to sucking.

the percentage has to be massively higher than we ever thought. must be amazing for players that some of them can finally feel comfortable getting help, not being judged as weak people like they may have in years pas,t and having people finally understand.

[OutOfTheCube]

Always sad to hear what so many of these people suffer with. As a Sabres fan, it was hard not to be frustrated by his wildly inconsistent play. This explains that. I'm happy to hear that he's recovering and hopefully things go great with the Islanders.

It's also nice to see that Jason Botterill has been calling and checking in with him, even after the organization had moved on professionally. Shows there's some class and character in the head office.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Seeing the way Lehner plays, this totally makes sense. He has the talent, but the mental part of the game always let him down. Now that he's getting appropriate treatment, he may turn into one of the better goalies in the game.

It makes you wonder though. Why did nobody pick up on this until now? Don't they have medical staff to assess the mental as well as physical? If not, they should probably add someone like that to their staff.

[bigtmac19]

Wow, very powerful story, what a strong guy. I hope he and his family continue to heal, it must have been so hard on his wife.

I would hope in this day and age, that NHL teams will make it a point to also focus on the mental health of their players and staff, as much as the physical health.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Seeing the way Lehner plays, this totally makes sense. He has the talent, but the mental part of the game always let him down. Now that he's getting appropriate treatment, he may turn into one of the better goalies in the game.

It makes you wonder though. Why did nobody pick up on this until now? Don't they have medical staff to assess the mental as well as physical? If not, they should probably add someone like that to their staff.

I know, from personal experience, that part of having bipolar tendencies is trying to hide it and pretend everything is ok. Then, when you are confronted about it, most people push back, not admitting that they have a problem.

Glad to hear that Lehner is on the right track.

[Beninho]

As someone who lives with OCD and anxiety It’s great to see him feel comfortable coming out about his struggles. For so much of my life I felt ashamed having a mental illness and it was the hardest thing to become open about, let alone tell the entire world.

It’s sad but also great to see public figures become open about their struggles, it helps break down the societal stigma that still exists when discussing mental illness. Lehner has had a remarkable career for someone who has gone through such a struggle, i for one cannot even imagine trying to balance the grind of professional hockey while also dealing with such a serious mental illness. Good for him for coming out and sharing such a personal struggle, it’s one of the hardest things to do.

[Jordan!]

Amazing article.. Wishing him the best! I've had anxiety, depression among other personal family situations and it really is a battle. When things happen to you or if you're in bad situations when you're young that's how your brain is wired. Re-wiring it takes a lot fo time and patience.

Good on Robin

[EVERLAST]

You know it’s interesting that Rob Ray was very outspoken about how he feels about Lehner.

I heard him say several times talking to warrener and boomer about this saying he’s the real deal. All of this makes sense though and it’s sad it had to come out like this although I’m happy he’s working on it and believe surrounding himself with them he right people he’ll have the tools to cope and deal efficiently with his challenges.

I really admire the work some of the former enforcer type players are doing with younger players......helping with addiction and recovery .

Big Ern gets top marks for his support of Some of our former players.

[Poe969]

I really hope this guy catches fire. I'm beyond happy he is getting the help he needs. I respect the heck out of this guy.