Stuart Meaker opens up about coping up with anxiety, divorce and COVID-19 lockdown

Courtesy: ESPNcrickinfo

Stuart Meaker, once a Sussex seamer bowler on English tracks went through a divorce two years ago in 2019. Meaker apparently started consulting a therapist and later realising there is no immediate predicament for mental health he started those sessions every couple of weeks. In those tough times, Meaker mentioned how he has learned about getting fixed quickly.

In that time, Meaker, the Sussex seamer who was once on the fast-track to England honours, has learnt a lot about quick fixes.

“What a lot of people do when they end up going through difficult life circumstances or relationship break-ups is they throw themselves wholeheartedly into their job and their career, their cricket, whatever it is because it’s a great means of distraction,” Meaker informed ESPNcricinfo.

Meaker also mentioned how his mental disturbance and his lack of emotional stability cost him in the cricket world as well. Meaker was unable to put in his best during training and was chasing after girls thinking that it will give him the boast to make a comeback. Meaker was totally not ready to accept the fact that he went through a divorce.

” I was chasing after girls, because I thought, ‘well at least it will give me a self-esteem boost’. It’s a quick fix of an evening, but it’s not wholly fulfilling in who you are.” Meaker added to ESPNcricinfo.

Meaker’s emotions were all over the place costing him a lot in both his professional as well as private life. Self-doubt, fear of losing and insecurities exposed themselves to turn into anxiety for the elite cricketer. His sleep cycle was fussed up, not ideal for any sportsperson and especially a fast bowler who is pushing his body and over-stressing his mind.

“I can get terribly anxious, usually specifically revolving around cricket, because you want to do well and you’re desperate to prove yourself even after you’ve been playing the game for 14 years”. The Sussex seamer revealed to ESPNcricifo.

Meaker played two ODIs in India during 2011 and travelled back to England as an uncapped member followed by joining victorious England’s Test squad in the same year. It remains Sussex seamers last international exhibition to date.

Stuart also mentioned how lockdown made it worst. It was one of the toughest days to deal with. The world was facing issues of all sort, no matter if it was financial, physical or mental issues, we were all suffering some way or the other.

“The thing with mental health and working on things is that it’s a habit, it’s a practice,” “You can try and do it for a week or a month here and there but that’s not really going to solve your problems, or make changes, or create good habits. “I wouldn’t say I’m there yet, no, certainly not,” Meaker added, laughingly to ESPNcricinfo.

In January 2021, Sussex announced the Sussex Cricket Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub to put up a helping hand for the cricketers in real need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stuart is still fighting the battle but on a better note and is learning and improving every day.