Former Donegal defender and 2012 All-Ireland winner Eamon McGee has shared his struggles with anxiety and panic attacks, and has described his relationship with alcohol as "dangerous".
Speaking to former Cavan footballer Alan O'Mara on his latest Real Talks podcast, the 33-year-old opened up about the impact alcohol had on his life.
"I think it was apparent that I struggled off the field and as a result of that, I struggled on the field, too," he explained.
"For me, it was just culture at the time. The lads all enjoyed the pints, didn’t take things too seriously.
"It suited me but none of the lads suffered from anxiety attacks or panic attacks or they didn’t develop a dangerous relationship with alcohol.
"That was part of what happened to me. All them lads grew out of that, I never grew out of that phase then. That’s where I was at."
He highlights the impact anxiety played in his life during this period, citing bus journeys as one of the environments where he would struggle with panic attacks.
"I’m sitting on the bus sweating, on the way to college. You don’t want anyone else to know.
"You’re jittery, it was a wild struggle to hide it. You’re thinking you’re going to die here, you’re going to have a heart attack on a bus."
Also in the podcast, he goes into detail about his relationship with former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness and adjusting to life as an elite athlete.
You can listen to the full interview below.
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