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While I feel horribly for Mr. Walker and the difficulties he has surely had, I am glad that he has disclosed his illness and what this can potentially do for our kids.
Hershel Walker was a professional football player for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. When we lived in Dallas, my husband worked at a grocery store near the Dallas Cowboys offices, Valley Ranch. Mr. Walker would come into the grocery store while my husband was working. When I told him this news tonight he was surprised.
Mr. Walker suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, what used to be called Multiple Personality Disorder. Not something you would expect to be associated with a professional football player, but that’s exactly the point.
The thing with mental illness is that it is not always easily apparent. Some of our kids present to the public as “normal.” It’s hard to explain why we do some of different things we do with our kids when their illness is not apparent.
The fact that Mr. Walker went so many years without anyone knowing, including his father and even his wife didn’t know while being married to him for sixteen years, says that you can never tell when someone has a mental illness. It also says that in certain cases people with mental illness can function in society without a problem, although I’m sure Mr. Walker would say something differently. According to this article he contemplated suicide on several occasions. He even sat at his table playing Russian Roulette.
Mr. Walker’s new book, “Breaking Free” came out today and he is doing an interview on Nightline tonight. I applaud his efforts for making his illness known. Hopefully people will take mental illness more seriously since someone who appeared so incredibly healthy was suffering every day. It may bring more light to those who struggle with mental illness and point out the need for better diagnosis and mental health providers.
Each time someone in the public eye speaks openly about their mental and emotional health issues we move one step closer to their destigmatisation. One in four people will have a major mental health crisis during their lives. At current rates of increase anxiety and depression will be the second biggest global health issue by 2020. Perhaps, as research suggests, if Hershel Walker had been able to express more of what he was feeling many years ago his overall physical and emotional health state would have improved. Jenny Hyatt, Founder, bigwhitewall.com
Hi-
I am very interested in this topic and am currently conducting a research study somewhat related. I am a graduate student at Bridgewater State College. I am interested in learning more about the relationships of parents with an adopted child who has been diagnosed with a mental illness and that child as well as about the perceptions of services available to both parents and their children. The survey should take you no longer than 15 minutes. Your participation will be completely anonymous as names are not attached to the survey. If you have any questions or concerns you can email me at dmuise@bridgew.edu. Please click on the link below if you are interested in helping me with my project. Thank you.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=F7BKtnjHlcafwv09xdhAVQ_3d_3d