Conor Cusack Speaks out About Mental Health and Depression

“Former Cork, Ireland Hurler Conor Cusack was lauded last October after he spoke openly and movingly about his battle with depression and subsequent recovery in a searingly honest blog post.  Cusack has since emerged as a pioneer for addressing mental health issues in Ireland and has become a regular public speaker around the country.”

“Depression is difficult to explain to people. If you have experienced it there is no need, if you haven’t, I don’t think there are words adequate to describe its horror. I have had a lot of injuries playing hurling, snapped cruciates, broken bones in my hands 11 times, had my lips sliced in half and all my upper teeth blown out with a dirty pull but none of them come anywhere near the physical pain and mental torture of depression. It permeates every part of your being, from your head to your toes. It is never ending, waves and waves of utter despair and hopelessness and fear and darkness flood throughout your whole body.”