Infertility crisis launched Browns’ Chris Hubbard into mental health advocacy
Akron Beacon JournalNov 23, 2019
BEREA -- Browns right tackle
He and his wife Tamara were dealing with infertility before the birth of their son Creed. Hubbard said he was losing weight and it was hard to balance the crisis in his personal life with his professional career.
"We battled through a lot," Hubbard said. "Things happen when you're trying to have a baby, you have emotions going left and right. It's a lot to deal with. I had to get some help."
Hubbard, 28 and in his sixth
In the aftermath of the indefinite suspension of teammate
"It made me a stronger person and it made me come out of my shell to help others, to let them know they're not alone and I'm just like them. I'm not superhuman," Hubbard said Wednesday. "This game requires a lot, physically, mentally and emotionally."
This season the
"Her line is always open," Hubbard said. "I've used her. You just can't be scared to go out there and ask for help. We just need more people to come out and say something if they're going through anything. That's what will get more people involved and we'll get more [professionals] on the team."
Defensive end
"She just sits there and listens. It's good to just have... you can talk to somebody who won't judge you, actually can hear your thoughts and how you feel and that helps a lot," Smith said Thursday of the clinician.
Running back
"Whenever I feel like I've got some built-up anger or stress about something, I'm able to talk to him and ease my mind and he's going to lead me down the right direction," Hunt said Friday, adding that it was "definitely" good to have an outlet for those feelings.
Maniar believes
"Think if you had five percent more yards receiving or passing or five percent farther on a drive or five percent more points, that's the difference between making the playoffs and not," Maniar said in a Tuesday phone interview. "Why wouldn't you invest in training your players to be stronger mentally, whether it's on the field or off the field.
"Everybody agrees, or I would hope that in 2019 that it's important and it's probably needed, the question becomes how and who's going to pay for it."
Hubbard believes the league will soon get there.
"It plays a big role in dealing with football and the amount of stress and the things that you have to go through with your family, whether it's moving, expecting a baby. There's plenty of different things that can go through your mind that mental health fits into," Hubbard said. "Every Sunday, every week there's a new challenge. I think eventually there will be more people on teams, psychologists and things like that to help out."
Hubbard said the March, 2018 admission by Cavaliers' five-time All-Star forward
"At first we didn't hear about it, but when
Hubbard said he's never met Love, but hopes they can get together.
"We need to sit down," Hubbard said. "It would be nice; it would be awesome. Soon."
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