St Helens and NRL legend James Graham has revealed that he had a short spell in rehab with the 40-year-old opening up on his mental health battle.
Graham, one of the few players to ever earn a Golden cap for playing 50 or more internationals, retired back in 2020 after returning to England to help his boyhood club St Helens land their second of four straight Grand Final wins.
That return to St Helens ended a nine-year spell in the NRL where he made over 180 appearances, starring for Canterbury Bulldogs and St George Illawarra Dragons.
Since retiring, Graham has turned his hand to punditry and working in the media, launching his own very successful podcast, The Bye Round, whilst also working for a number of broadcasters, including the BBC during the recent Ashes series.
Graham has now used his podcast to share details of his own battle with mental health and alcohol, confirming that he attended a rehab clinic at one point in the past year.
St Helens legend James Graham makes honest admissions around mental health
Speaking on a recent episode of The Bye Round, Graham explained that he took a week off and attended a rehab clinic, despite stating at the time it was just a holiday.
“Not many people know about this but I made the decision to go rehab,” the ex-St Helens star said.
“When I said I was away on holidays, I was a week in a facility for mental health, which probably wasn’t long enough.
“You’re supposed to stay there for three but due to the job, I couldn’t disappear for three weeks. Disappearing for one week was difficult enough.”
Graham then admitted that one of the reasons he didn’t see out the full three weeks was worrying about if people would know, something he stated he wrestled with, adding: “Why would I care if people know or not?”
Continuing, he urged others to seek support, stating: “For anybody who is on I guess that crossroads of needing to go away, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
“It had a really good short-term fix for me, I felt like a new person but it was so nerve-wracking going in but in the week I spent there, I felt like I learnt so much and started to see things differently.”
The 40-year-old did admit that he’d slipped back into old habits, particularly drinking alcohol, revealing that a recent eye opener for him was a conversation with his best mate from school, with whom he said he talks every day.
“When I was away on the tour recently and having a decent drinking sesh, I go off my phone and the next time we spoke, he said something that hit me between the eyes.
“He said, ‘Lad, I actually genuinely worry you’ve done something when I don’t hear from you’.
“I’d never do that and I think that’s important to know, and he knows that too. But I think to hear your friend say that (is eye opening).”
Graham also revealed that he finds running a very beneficial way of dealing with his mental health and that he also sees a therapist, something he recommended to those who are struggling.
Check out the latest episode of The Serious About Rugby League Show on our YouTube channel here.
