Ricky Hatton instructed psychiatrist ‘I’m going to kill myself’ throughout struggles

Ricky Hatton dropped to his knees in tears and instructed his psychiatrist “I’m going to kill myself” on the top of his despair. Boxing legend Hatton has given his most revealing interview but about his psychological well being struggles since retiring – however is now seeking to assist others via powerful occasions.

The Hitman admits that he sat alone in his front room occupied with taking his personal life after a run of defeats within the ring preceded big fallouts together with his household. And Hatton’s psychological well being battles got here to a crescendo when visiting a psychiatrist at his lowest level.

“I was sat in my living room and I was just thinking to myself ‘you’ve got no boxing no more, you can’t share what you’ve done with your mum and dad, you can’t share it with your trainer, you haven’t got a missus anymore’,” the previous boxer stated. “I thought what do I need to be here for? I didn’t want to be here, I really didn’t.

“My girlfriend at the time got pregnant with my daughter Millie, and I thought ‘come on Rick, it’s not about you now, it’s about the kids, get yourself together’. Even Millie couldn’t get me back on track. I was still down. I went to speak to a psychiatrist in Manchester and threw myself on my knees and said ‘you need to tell me what to do, I can’t do it on my own, you need to tell me today what to do otherwise I won’t be here next week, I’m going to kill myself’.”

The sessions thankfully worked with Hatton, 44, now in a much better place both mentally and physically. As well as the psychiatrist sessions, the Manc’s mental health has been transformed by a renewed love of boxing training.

He lost four stones in just 12 weeks ahead of his hugely successful celebration fight at the Manchester Arena last November. And the Hitman is now being courted for major TV work and will star in his own Sky documentary, which is out later this month.

“Every time I went and saw the psychiatrist, I’d come out and just breathe a sigh of relief, it was unbelievable,” he added. “It burns you up inside, you hold it in, hold it in, hold it in. [You think] I need to tell someone, need to tell someone, need to tell someone. You don’t because you feel you can’t and it goes worse and worse. When I finally went to my psychiatrist and got it off my chest, I felt like I could start my life again.”

Hatton’s skilled boxing profession started in 1997 together with his final bout coming in 2012 after a 3 yr lay-off. He held a number of world championships at light-welterweight and one at welterweight and is thought to be one of many best British boxers of all time. But he is simply as happy at overcoming his demons lately, having additionally fought off drug and alcohol habit.

Hatton continued: “I feel very very proud that my family and friends have seen me turn my life around. I’m not just acting better, I’m physically looking better. My boxers that I train are getting a better trainer, my kids are getting a better father, my granddaughter is getting a better grandad.

“I’m simply in a greater place all spherical. People have seen the place I used to be a couple of years in the past after I was suicidal, to see me current day, and listen to me discuss and inform a narrative, it has a double affect. I was within the pub, I used to be drunk each night time, taking a great deal of medication, it was horrible for individuals to see. When they see the Ricky Hatton of right this moment, when I’m speaking about it with the charities and motivational talking, I’d wish to suppose I’m serving to lots of people. That helps my very own psychological well being.”

Hatton made the extraordinary revelations to support the Campaign Against Living Miserably’s (CALM) suicide prevention work. The avid Manchester City fan, who was also in Tyson Fury’s corner for his 2018 draw against Deontay Wilder, is hopeful his actions speak just as loud as his words for others struggling.

“It’s a foul time for psychological well being, individuals on the market are struggling,” Hatton emotionally explained as stats show suicide kills 125 people a week in the UK with 75% being male. “As lengthy as I’m right here, I wish to assist individuals. Bad occasions do not final eternally, you suppose they’ll however they do not. They will not final eternally if you happen to go to talk to somebody.

“If a former world boxing champion who won four world titles… I’m supposed to be a tough guy, I couldn’t do it myself. It doesn’t matter what I did in the boxing ring, I needed help. Never be scared to admit that you need help, I promise you it’s the best thing you’ll ever do.”

CALM operates a 5pm-midnight helpline (0800 585858) for anybody struggling. There can also be a webchat service on its web site www.thecalmzone.internet

Hatton, a brand new and unique #SkyUnique documentary will air on #SkyDocumentaries August 31.