SPORTSMEN and sportswomen go through the physical pain barrier week in, week out.
But, sometimes that pain can also come emotionally and mentally.
For former Warrington Wolves prop, Paul Wood, that came in the form of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
Wood, who made 339 appearances for the Wolves between 2000 and 2014, details the time he first went to get help.
“One of the realisations that it was really serious was when I was around 20 years of age and I just couldn’t shut my mind up,” Wood said on Sky Sports.
“I was doing all these rituals. I was pulling the handbrake up on my car, I was switching light switches on and off. I was doing all these crazy things and my mates would be laughing at me.
“But, for me, it was really serious. I went to the doctors when I was 21 and they put me on medication. For me that didn’t work, it was some form of anti-depressant.”
Wood delved further, explaining that Warrington helped him through the illness.
“I needed intervention, that didn’t work and this club (Warrington) were brilliant with me. They sent me to The Priory for a 12-week, intensive course.
“This was around 11 years ago after trying everything else. This was the last resort and I said I would try anything.
“It was a mind opener, they used a form of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and mindfulness to combat it. I never had the intrusive thoughts or rituals since I did that and it blows my mind.
“If you google any images of me up until 2012, I would have an arm pad on my arm. After 2013, you would never see me with that. That was a ritual.”
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