Michael Johnson.....

[didactic]

Problem is when you have money it is more dangerous as you have more avenues to self medicate. Drugs, women hangers on none of it any good for you. Then its back to the same depression and guilt because you did all those things.

What the fuck has money got to do with any mental health issue or addiction. Some of the worst addicts i have known have been skint, it didnt stop them feeding there addiction.

Addiction also in my experience follows no distinct path. My younger brother is a recovering alcholic, my father had a drink problem, my grandfather was an alcholic. As im adopted and dont have there genes i only love a drink, im not dependendant. My point here is do we know what genes were passed to MJ through his family? No we dont.

My uncle suffered greatly from mental illness, but his did not manifest itself through drink, he was teetotal. But can you say with any surety that his fathers alcholism didnt cause his dreadful depression and later in later his paranoid schizophrenia.

I have read the last few pages aghast at your perception of how peoples minds work and how they react to events and your apparent lack of even acknowledging how previous events can act as a trigger for severe illness.


Back to money as that seems to be an issue to you. I have seen 3 friends die through there addictions aged 22, 31 and 40. I have seen the despair they suffered and the hoplessness they felt. None of them had money or glamourous lives etc, but they fed there addictions and the state of there minds was beyond even the best medicine we have. I saw my uncle, a talented artist who couldnt work and wasnt addicted to anything paint some of the darkest paintings you could possibly imagine as his mind expressed the place it was in. I spoke to his brother about this who was a lecturer in art at University an he said it was commonplace for people in dark places to express themselves thus.


There has been some fantastic posts in this thread offering MJ support and i would propose that perhaps the mods could somehow prune the thread of some of the ridiculous mean spirited stuff and in an act of compassion for a fellow blue work out a way of getting the messages of support to MJ as it may help him.

Read what I said again never focused on money I'm leaving with what jma said as it was perfect.

 

[BlueMo']

Good luck to him, the money must help though even to
be able to afford to live
I suffered an extreme "trough" in my life in the 80's
for one reason or another. I stopped working, the money dried up
and deeper i fell. "pull yourself together and get a job" I did do that
Looking back now i think i was very ill.
Nearly 8 yrs lost under a cloud.
Coming to Ireland probably saved my life.

 

[MCFC2393]

I think we need to set up or join stoke by doing a rehab for depression or mental illnesses group to try and avoid what happened to poor michael johnson

I know we sent him to help him get back on track

If he carrys on the way he is then most likely he will be in debt and also could turn to crime or doing something really bad

Its such a shame that he had the potential to be one of englands best talents and also be part of the best man city team in years with the likes of toure kompany aguero but its all gone now but he will have richards hart or kompany as friends as they most likely to know him more

 

[n_mcfc]

Strange one for me this.

I'm well acquainted with depression both from my own experiences and others and I always defend in such instances.

And it is genuinely heartening to see so many wish him well because it now transpires that Johnson has suffered from this shit and awful illness in whatever form it took (possibly addiction)

But with Johnson my interpretation - and it is only that - is that there is more to it. Yes he deserves our best wishes but also let's not light any candles for a man who had such an envious gift and opportunity and pissed it up the wall. And someone who - by the accounts of many on here - is a total knob.

I'm with you. There's no doubt in my mind that, if he is struggling with mental issues, City have offered help on numerous occasions. Obviously we don't know if he's taken the help. It appears not. For someone with a gift, as you say, to show very little signs of improvement in 3 years tells me that the commitment isn't quite there as it is with others.

The lad's a drink driver, too. Makes it harder to sympathise. The people around him. I mean, those who go out with him constantly. How have they allowed it to happen?

Johnson might have his demons, (gambling, drinking etc) but to me, I honestly think there's more to it. I can't accept that an 18/19 year old Premier League footballer would feign injuries, completely give up his career, piss it up the wall and not show any real signs of recovery in 3 years if he didn't want to. But then again, I guess that's mental problems at their worse? His quotes today worried me even more.

"...but that's the way it goes"

" would be grateful if I could now be left alone to live the rest of my life.”

He's given up hope and he gave up hope a long time ago. Hence the release by City. What more can they do if Johnson doesn't want help?

I'm in two minds. I'm gutted he's never going to play for us again and ever reach his potential. Truly gutted. But how and why has it happened?

 

[n_mcfc]

Looks in shape as well here.

Love it if he ended up sorting himself out and we took him back. Pipe dream.

 

[davymcfc]

Best of luck Michael. All the best.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

I don't agree with people criticizing him. We will never know the full facts but the man may be clinically depressed and have been like that for several years.

People are often ignorant and all to often jump to wrong conclusions that are inaccurate and hurtful.

I hope you get better Michael.

 

[xzbit04]

@Paul_Lake
My heart goes out to Michael Johnson. Career over, dreams shattered, and left with physical and psychological scars that never truly go away

 

[bainy]

Thanks for some fantastic memories MJ, you gave us some great glimpse's of hope and thoughts of sucess when we were shite.
Take care and i wish you good health, happiness and contentment.
Best of luck

 

[Craggers]

MJ attended the same sessions at the Priory as my cousin.

Thankfully my cousin has overcome her issues and is well on the road to recovery.

I really hope MJ can do the same. All the best fella and don't give up the fight.