Dele Alli admits he was “overwhelmed” by the response to his emotional interview wherein he confronted mental health issues stemming from his difficult childhood.
Last summer, the 28-year-old revealed that he was sexually molested as a six-year-old and commenced selling drugs on the age of eight, which led to mental problems later in life. He also talked about his addiction to sleeping pills, which led to his stay in a rehab clinic.
“When I did the interview, I said if I help one person, that’s all I need,” Alli, speaking publicly for the primary time since that interview, told Monday Night Football Heavenly sports.
“I had to do it for my own reasons, but if it helped even one person, that’s all I wanted from it, and the response and support I received was definitely overwhelming.
“But it was amazing to see how many people it helped, and I’m definitely very proud of it.”
Alli said going public together with his problems was a part of a process that allowed him to learn necessary lessons about himself, which in turn helped him get through his injury probation.
The Everton striker has not played since his loan to Besiktas was cut short in February last yr as a result of hip and groin problems that delayed his return to the squad.
“When I did the interview, I said it was the best I felt at that time, coming out of rehab and getting ready to play,” he added.
“I had to learn patience. It’s been a long journey with the injury, many ups and downs, but I have to learn from it.
“If you had asked me earlier, injuries would have been at the top of my list to overcome mentally. Before the injury, the longest was eight weeks, which seemed like an eternity.
“If I hadn’t gone through this process in the summer, it would have been very difficult for me to have been going through this for over a year now.
“It’s just an injury and I hope it’s over. The pain from my injury is something I can really channel and help motivate me.
“I really had to learn patience, but it got me back into the game.”
Credit : www.independent.co.uk