Tottenham Defender Molly Bartrip Shares Her Struggles With Mental Illness

Tottenham Defender Molly Bartrip Shares Her Struggles With Mental Illness And Why She Views Life As A Gift On The Players’ Tribune

At 13 years old Molly Bartrip, now Tottenham defender, was playing European football at an extremely high level. As Batrip was finding success on the pitch, she had also been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, depression and anxiety. Bartrip opens up about her struggles and the path she took to overcome her illness in her piece entitled “Ana” on The Players’ Tribune.

"I remember thinking that this was my only chance to ever play international football. And I have just blown it by getting a silly little injury. I mean, I couldn’t have really changed it, but it still felt like it was all my fault. It’s all my fault. I thought I had to punish myself. “ - Molly Bartrip

 In her piece, Bartrip shares the long journey she had with mental illness and the work she had to put in on and off of the field to be successful with her mind and her body. Bartrip shares details of wanting to end her life, but looking back, she is so happy to be alive.

 "So, that night, as crazy as it sounds, I wrote a letter to the illness. And I discovered that writing was the only way I could talk to it. It was the only way I could describe exactly how I was feeling, and get out the anger inside me. It’s not like I could punch my shoulder or something. I couldn’t do anything to it, you know? So, I just wrote it all down. I wrote that I wanted her gone because with her, I wouldn’t be able to live my dream. I wouldn’t be able to succeed. Forget football, because those things come and go. If I kept on like this, I wouldn’t even be able to live.” - Molly Bartrip

To read the full story and to hear more athletes’ journeys with mental health, visit The Players’ Tribune

About Players' Tribune

The Players’ Tribune (TPT) is a first-of-its-kind content platform that was developed by athletes for athletes to connect them with fans through the power of storytelling. By giving athletes the tools to create truly personal content and tell their stories, The Players’ Tribune is reimagining the world of sports and culture through the player’s point of view. More than 2,000 athletes have contributed to the platform through impactful and powerful long and short form stories, video series and audio. Founded by Derek Jeter in 2014, TPT provides unique insight into the daily sports conversation and brings fans closer than ever to the games they love. For more information visit www.theplayerstribune.com, or interact with the team on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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