In a candid interview with Sky Sports activities Information, former Cardiff, Aberdeen and Scotland defender Kevin McNaughton has opened up on his battle with melancholy following retirement from soccer.

In January 2022, McNaughton revealed a collection of worrying tweets, one among which learn: “Let my children know I will hover above, I will at all times love them they’re too good for me.”

McNaughton was then reported lacking, prompting a involved response on social media from the soccer group. Fortunately, he was quickly situated.

Simply over a yr later, McNaughton is ready to look again on a troubling time of his life with perspective, and says his points emanated from his battle to take care of retirement.

“I simply acquired myself in a little bit of a large number actually, which stemmed from probably not being ready for all times after soccer,” stated the 40-year-old.

“My life had slowly form of disintegrated after I finished taking part in. My relationship form of fell to items after which off the again of that, I most likely remoted myself a bit as nicely after I ought to have actually been talking to different folks and getting assist.

“Wanting again, that was clearly a mistake. It was a tough time.”

The previous Scotland worldwide – who’s now again in soccer as supervisor of sixth-tier membership Dundee North Finish – believes the tweets he despatched had been “a cry for assist”.

“Wanting again, I can not truly bear in mind sending them. I might taken numerous the treatment I used to be on and with alcohol, I used to be a large number actually.

“I used to be fortunate sufficient that I did most likely ship them out. It was perhaps a cry for assist. I had acquired to that form of stage of all-time low, I feel.

“The police discovered us with my treatment and alcohol. They might see I used to be in a state actually, to be sincere with you.”

McNaughton was inundated with messages of assist from former team-mates and buddies that flooded in on social media, one thing he took consolation from as he began on his highway to restoration.

“That most likely helped us by way of the primary few weeks of making an attempt to get myself again heading in the right direction,” he added.

“I most likely stored my head within the sand for a few days actually and as soon as I had surfaced and seen all of the messages, it was fairly unimaginable actually.

“Social media can get a little bit of a foul rap generally however in that case, it has proven it in a very good gentle.

“Clearly that dies down as nicely and you have to form of begin knuckling down and getting again into regular life which was exhausting.

“Simply having my children round us as a lot as I may round that interval helped and doubtless my life then to the place it’s now has modified so much.

“I acquired engaged, just some months again so I’ve acquired that to look ahead now. I’ve acquired a future that did not appear attainable again then.

“I feel one factor it has form of taught me, you have to try to get by way of these tough durations as a result of there’s nonetheless so much to stay for and definitely in my case, I’ve had a few of my finest days since then.”

McNaughton has been supported by the psychological well being charity Again Onside and he’s urging anybody who’s struggling to hunt assist.

“For anyone who’s going by way of form of related issues, the one factor I’d say is do not bottle it up.

“It’s essential to communicate to folks when issues aren’t actually going nicely for you.

“It may be exhausting to do this however, for me, having the ability to communicate to folks now and get assist is one thing I’ve to do each day.”

PFA Scotland have a free, extensively used, and extremely confidential psychological well being assist service in place for gamers that has been working since 2016, with extra data accessible at www.pfascotland.co.uk/mental-health/

In case you are affected by these points or wish to discuss, please contact the Samaritans on the free helpline 116 123, or go to the web site www.samaritans.org