We all have a vice we turn to, to avoid emotional pain…to busy our minds…I’m convinced of it. Even the celebs on TV who seem to “have it all,” have their vices.
Phil Mickelson has a pro career that spans 30 yrs & in them has amassed: six Majors, & 45 PGA Tour victories.
Mickelson however has spent roughly the past four months out of the public eye due to the fallout associated w the start-up of his new venture LIV Golf. He’s missed two major championships, including the PGA Championship last month where he was the defending champ.
In his first interview since his hiatus from the PGA TOUR, Mickelson talked abt his gambling addiction AND his therapy:
“My gambling got to a point of being reckless and embarrassing. I had to address it. And I’ve been addressing it for a number of years. And for hundreds of hours of therapy. I feel good where I’m at there. Gambling has been part of my life ever since I can remember. It’s embarrassing. I don’t like that people know. The fact is I’ve been dealing with it for some time. Amy (his wife) has been very supportive of it and with me and the process. We’re at a place after many years where I feel comfortable with where that is. It isn’t a threat to me or my financial security. It was just a number of poor decisions.”
We don’t know how much Phil is using his problem gambling as an excuse for the last 4 months, as opposed to the controversy w LIV Golf. That said – when a public figure this big reveals an addiction issue, it’s huge. It helps normalize the convo.
Working w many college & pro athletes, addictions are rampant. But they aren’t always the addictions we think of: drugs & alcohol. Often they are things like gambling, work, over-practice, constant film study.
As humans we avoid emotional pain. Those vices enable us to do that. BUT the avoidance prevents us from working on our “stuff” that’s caused the pain in the first place. We need to be more open abt our addictions (mine is work!). Trauma, addiction, suicide, overdose – all cousins living in the same house. Let’s be open abt how common trauma & addiction are, so we can promote help seeking & avoid tragic outcomes.
