Leeds United fan Chris Murphy speaks of how football ‘saved him’ after suffering from a stroke which left him paralysed.
He recently spoke in an interview Sky Sports inside Elland Road about his mental health, a few years after he also shared his story to Leeds United.
Chris revealed that football helped him in his recovery, after suffering from three strokes. Have a watch of the important discussions in the videos below…
“Football saved my life”
Leeds United fan, Chris Murphy, talks openly about his mental health after suffering a stroke which left him paralysed and how football ‘saved him’ ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZIQa2EDBEZ
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 18, 2024
He said to Sky Sports: “I’m Chris Murphy. I’ve been a Leeds fan for over 30 years, and football saved my life.
“The first one, I became probably, best way to describe it is intolerable. I wasn’t myself. Your mom’s now best, and she said, what what you’ve done with the old Chris?
“I didn’t know what had gone on until the severe stroke happened in 2016. Leeds were playing on Sky early kickoff, away at Cardiff.
“I would start watching it with my friends, and I was just we’re trying to get up to go to toilet, and I couldn’t move.
“My dad came around to see me, and he phoned an ambulance straight away. I thought I’d got away with it with a TIA (Transient ischemic attack), and I went to sleep and woke up paralysed.
“The connections from my brain weren’t send weren’t sending signals to the left side of my body. But being in a wheelchair, it’s not a bad thing.
“I’ve had the privilege of the walking taken away from me. And being told later on, 2 years later, I’ve got the potential to have more strokes where it can happen again. That’s got me into a bad stage of depression.
“I had some suicidal thoughts, 3 or 5 months ago, but I didn’t understand them. So I messaged some friends at the time I was having them, and that helped helped me massively.
“Football, coming to Leeds games, I sit around the same people who have got season tickets. It’s like, you just you make new friends.
“My story is probably 1 in a million stories up and down the country of football fans.
“But if you if you’re going to a game with a mate, just speak to them. Tell them you’re struggling. It’s not just about football. It’s about being with your mates who are, like, family to you. You speak to them.
“I think there’ll be, there’ll be groups of lads and masses up and down the country that have got someone missing due to suicide. And if you are in them thoughts, just speak to someone.”
See more of the recent stories and interview regarding mental health…
Darron Gibson opens up on his addiction to sleeping pills and a seizure which nearly killed him
Charlie Adam opens up on mental health struggles after his Dad took his own life
Will Vaulks speaks to brother of Joey Beauchamp and mum of Jack Badger on suicide
Aaron Connolly opens up about the impact of addiction and tells his story in his own words
MENTAL HEALTH – DEPRESSION HELPLINES
NHS – Mental Health
Comprehensive help and information from NHS with links to external help and support.
NHS INFORM (Scotland)
The site is designed to offer information, advice to those experiencing troublesome thoughts, feelings and actions. From the site you are able to print off various self-help guides covering conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, panic and sleep problems.
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Anxiety, panic attacks & trauma
This leaflet is for anyone who is, or has been depressed. We hope it will also be helpful for friends and relatives. It describes what depression feels like, some of the help that is available, how you can help yourself and how to help someone else who is depressed. It also mentions some of the things we don’t know about depression. At the end of the leaflet there is a list of other places where you can get further information.
Mind
MindInfoline: 0300 123 3393
Side by side – on-line support community
The MindinfoLine offers thousands of callers confidential help on a range of mental health issues. Mind helps people take control of their mental health. We do this by providing high-quality information and advice, and campaigning to promote and protect good mental health for everyone. They also provide a special legal service to the public, lawyers and mental health workers.
Shout
Text Shout to 85258
Shout is the UK’s first free 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help.
Breathing Space (Scotland)
Helpline: 0800 83 85 87
Sometimes our thoughts and feelings can overwhelm us. It helps to get some Breathing Space. Pick up the phone – we’re here to listen. We are a free, confidential, phone service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.
SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health)
SAMH Information Team: 0344 800 0550
Today, in over 60 communities we work with adults and young people providing mental health social care support, services in primary care, schools and further education, among others. These services together with our national programme work in See Me, respectme, suicide prevention and active living; inform our policy and campaign work to influence positive social change.
Trauma Research UK
We are a national registered trauma research charity dedicated to making a difference. Offering support and recovery programmes to those suffering from trauma and anxiety-related disorders such as phobias, panic attacks, PTSD, OCD, GAD etc. We know you may be suffering right now, but please consider this – “It’s not what’s wrong with you, it’s what happened to you”.
Hub of Hope
The Hub of Hope is the UK’s leading mental health support database. It brings local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place. We want to ensure that all of us – no matter what we are experiencing, or how we see and understand our experiences – feel welcome on the Hub of Hope.
Be Mindful
Mindfulness can give people more insight into their emotions, boost their attention and concentration and improve relationships. It’s proven to help with stress, anxiety, depression and addictive behaviours, and can even have a positive effect on physical problems like hypertension, heart disease and chronic pain.
ChildLine
Helpline: 0800 11 11
ChildLine is a counselling service for children and young people. You can contact ChildLine in these ways: You can phone on 0800 1111, send us an email, have a 1-2-1 chat with us, send a message to Ask Sam and you can post messages to the ChildLine message boards. You can contact ChildLine about anything – no problem is too big or too small. If you are feeling scared or out of control or just want to talk to someone you can contact ChildLine.
Young Minds Helpline: 0808 802 5544 www.youngminds.org.uk Parents’ Information Service gives advice to parents or carers who may be concerned about the mental health or emotional wellbeing of a child or young person.
Kooth.com
Kooth.com is an online counselling service and online mental health community that provides vulnerable young people, between the ages of 11 and 25, with advice and support for emotional or mental health problems. Kooth.com offers users a free, confidential, safe and anonymous way to access help.
The Mix
Helpline: 0808 808 4994
Life’s tough, we know that. It can throw a lot your way and make it hard to know what the hell to do with it all. So, welcome to The Mix. Whether you’re 13, 25, or any age in between, we’re here to take on the embarrassing problems, weird questions, and please-don’t-make-me-say-it-out-loud thoughts you have. We give you the information and support you need to deal with it all. Because you can. Because you’re awesome.
Papyrus HOPELINEUK – 0800 068 4141 www.papyrus-uk.org
Worried about someone… Support for anyone under 35 experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned that a young person may be experiencing thoughts of suicide.
stem4
stem4 is a charity that promotes positive mental health in teenagers and those who support them including their families and carers, education professionals, as well as school nurses and GPs through the provision of mental health education, resilience strategies and early intervention. This is primarily provided digitally through our innovative education programme, pioneering mental health apps, clinically-informed website and mental health conferences that contribute to helping young people and those around them flourish.
Students Against Depression www.studentdepression.org Developed in consultation with students who have been affected by depression, low mood or suicidal thoughts. Many of their stories and suggestions are included on the site.
Campaign Against Living Miserably Helpline: 0800 58 58 58 www.thecalmzone.net The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) works to prevent male suicide and offers support services for any man who is struggling or in crisis. CALM’s helpline 0800 58 58 58 and web-chat are for men in the UK who need to talk or find information and support. The services are open 5pm–midnight daily and are free, anonymous and confidential. For access or to find more information visit thecalmzone.net
SOS Silence of Suicide
For support call: 0808 115 1505 (8pm to midnight M-F. 4 to midnight Sat/Sun)
We support everyone affected by suicide, whether they be bereaved, having thoughts of suicide, or have attempted suicide. No one should feel awkward. No one should feel isolated, we will continue to support everyone and anyone who needs our help.
Samaritans Tel: 116 123 (Free)
www.samaritans.org Whatever you’re going through, we’re here to help 24 hours a day. We won’t judge you and we won’t share what you tell us with anyone else. Get in touch by telephone, email, letter and face to face in the UK and Ireland. Visit befrienders.org if you live outside the UK or Ireland.
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