Former Portsmouth boss and Arsenal legend Tony Adams predicts sporting mental illness surge at close of lockdown
Former Pompey boss Tony Adams expects a flood of sporting mental-health issues when the coronavirus lockdown comes to a close.
And the ex-England international believes that will be a trend echoed across society as people battle the far-reaching impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Adams, who was in charge of the Blues in the 2008-09 season, is himself a recovering alcoholic and founded the Sporting Chance clinic in 2000 to help athletes get over addiction problems.
The former Arsenal man feels people are bottling up issues at present which will come to the fore further down the line.
He told Sky Sports News: ‘We use the term “white-knuckling” it. People are getting on with it at the minute.
‘Some people can’t make the calls because they’ve got the family on top of them, some are just getting out of it or watching TV addictively.
‘Then some people are front-line workers and doing a lot of unbelievable stuff. In my recovery I’ve been a workaholic at times and when you’re “work, work, work” you don’t have to feel.
‘So I do feel there may be a fallout when we get out of lockdown that people will take a breath and then “wow” stuff will come up for them.
‘Then I think not only Sporting Chance but in the rest of society the helplines will be very busy.’