World Mental Health Day: Yuvraj Singh posts heartfelt message for fans; 'seek help'

On World Mental Health Day, Indian cricketing legend Yuvraj Singh posted a heartfelt message on his Twitter account to support anyone suffering mentally. He tweeted, “Never be ashamed of what you’re going through. Your story will inspire many others!” He also encouraged people not to hesitate to ask for help. He said, “Seek help if required but don’t give up.” He finally ended the tweet by saying, “Be kind to everyone, you don’t know who is going through what. A little kindness each day can heal the world.”

Yuvraj Singh had his share of problems dealing with mental health and revealed after his retirement that it was difficult for him to deal with the pressure during the latter years of his career. “I had got to a stage where actually cricket was not helping me mentally,” he told Gaurav Kapur during an interview on YouTube while explaining the work of his foundation YouWeCan. He further said, “I always wanted to play cricket, but it was not helping me be in a good state of mind. I was just dragging myself. ‘When do I have to retire? Should I retire? Should I not retire?’”

Yuvi's victory on and off the field

Yuvraj said that after his retirement, much pressure has been released and he is feeling “free” and content. He said, “I miss the game sometimes, but more often, I don’t. I played for so many years. Basically, I get a lot of messages from fans, a lot of love and adulation, I feel very blessed.” He said that the game has earned him respect and after his massive contribution to Indian cricket, an integral part of both the World Cup victories, he thought it was the right time to move on. Yuvraj already battled with cancer once shortly after the 2011 World Cup. He underwent treatment in the US and was discharged after three chemotherapy sessions. Yuvraj said about his life after retirement, “I hadn’t slept properly for many years. I started to sleep really well. It’s a year now, I was so relaxed. During the playing days, I wouldn’t realise the time going, the years flew by. But it’s been quite good.”

Image: ICC twitter