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A tale of recovery from Clarke Carlisle and his wife

When ex-footballer Clarke Carlisle went missing in 2017 he believed everyone would be better off without him. We hear from him and his wife about recovery from the brink of suicide

When ex-footballer Clarke Carlisle went missing in 2017 his wife Carrie thought the worst: he had severe depression and had already attempted to take his own life.

Found safely in Liverpool, he then spent weeks in a psychiatric hospital and 18 months in therapy.

Clarke鈥檚 whole sense of identity was tied up with football and the buzz it gave him. So a knee injury at 21 made him feel like a failure and pushed him towards destructive behaviours with alcohol and marathon computer game sessions.

Carrie responds to the question sometimes asked by well-meaning people: How could he put you through this?.

鈥淐larke didn鈥檛 put me through anything. This illness [severe depression] invades and puts all of you through it collectively.鈥

The Carlisles share their tips for recovery: asking for professional help; talking openly to their children about feelings; their daily marks-out-of-ten check in; how much the Pixar film Inside Out taught them about emotional resilience.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Wed 24 Apr 2019 15:30

Broadcasts

  • Tue 23 Apr 2019 21:00
  • Wed 24 Apr 2019 15:30

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