Winnipeg Jet Gabe Vilardi discusses handling mental health struggles during his NHL career
Gabe Vilardi has been a very solid Winnipeg Jet, and now the talented forward opens up on the mental health struggles of playing in the NHL.
Mental health struggles are something that should be taken seriously in society, and while NHL players have many benefits of playing in the league, the extra pressure can sometimes lead to issues with their mental health.
Many players have been open about their struggles in the league off the ice, and now, Gabriel Vilardi of the Winnipeg Jets has discussed how difficult it has been in the league for him mentally.
Vilardi opens up on mental health struggles
During his latest interview with The Athletic, Vilardi reveals how he was diagnoses with anxiety, but given the positive way in which he's handed things, he hopes that can help people also dealing with these issues.
Everyone deals with anxiety, right? Just because I was diagnosed, it doesn't mean that I have it different than other people do... I hope this can help give people ideas for how to deal with it.
For my dad to say he had anxiety growing up, it would have been 'F off,' right? I think we've grown so much as a society, and especially in hockey, with mental health. It's not like that anymore. For me, seeing the mistakes my family made - where maybe they didn't see help - I look at that and say, 'I have all of these things available to me. I have to do them because they didn't do them and it's going to help me.
For my dad to say he had anxiety growing up, it would have been 'F off,' right? I think we've grown so much as a society, and especially in hockey, with mental health. It's not like that anymore. For me, seeing the mistakes my family made - where maybe they didn't see help - I look at that and say, 'I have all of these things available to me. I have to do them because they didn't do them and it's going to help me.
Unsurprisingly, Vilardi points out the differences and the advancements that have been taken in society to deal with issues of mental health, advocating for people to use any resources at their disposal to help if they need it.
Last season, Vilardi had a career high of 61 points with the Jets, and this year he has 24 points in 27 games, so whether that's staying healthy physically or mentally, clearly he's at his best right now, and the Jets will need all of that as they once more chase the Stanley Cup.
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DECEMBRE 6 | 108 ANSWERS Winnipeg Jet Gabe Vilardi discusses handling mental health struggles during his NHL career Will Vilardi and the Jets make the Stanley Cup Finals this season? | ||
| Yes | 33 | 30.6 % |
| No | 75 | 69.4 % |
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