Depression: Lansberg & Wade Belak

[Bullseye]

The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to get healthy on and off the ice with all management changes and Babcock is in the centre of that.

He is helping off the ice this past month specifically working in Saskatchewan promoting mental health awareness and Michael Landsberg is right beside him.

Landsberg has a very good piece on TSN today about his relationship with Leaf nice guy/tough guy Wade Belak who took his own life - worth the read - and if it hits a chord inside you don't be afraid to let someone know.

http://www.tsn.ca/depression-and-my-friend-wade-belak-from-sept-13-2011-1.340782

Click to read more...

 

[Gary Nylund]

Sad story, good article. When I read stuff like this it only strengthens my opinion that fighting should be banned hockey. The article didn't mention it but I'd be very surprised if the brain trauma from frequent blows to the head didn't play a role here.

RIP Wade!

 

[TootooTrain]

Lansberg and Babcock have been good spokesmen for addressing mental health issues in canada. If you're suffering inside, always always remember it's OK to talk about it.

 

[The Magic Man]

I always thought his 'incident' was accidental. If not this is too bad. He always portrayed himself as a happy fella. That's sad and it's a great thing to talk about it like this. Bring it out in the open and discuss things instead of bottling it up. It can certainly save lives.

 

[pheasant]

Lansberg and Babcock have been good spokesmen for addressing mental health issues in canada. If you're suffering inside, always always remember it's OK to talk about it.

Well said. Get help, get support, and find a method of dealing with the problem. I have helped some friends fight depression and had other friends that suffered alone, as I found out later.

Finding a way to cope is hard. Someone I respect said 'nothing works for everyone, but something works for you.'

Lansberg is one of the best guys out there for this kind of thing. If I remember correctly, he has freely/publically given out his number and said that anyone struggling can give him a call and talk it out.

 

[Bullseye]

'nothing works for everyone, but something works for you.'

Bravo - thanks bud.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Well said. Get help, get support, and find a method of dealing with the problem. I have helped some friends fight depression and had other friends that suffered alone, as I found out later.

Finding a way to cope is hard. Someone I respect said 'nothing works for everyone, but something works for you.'

Lansberg is one of the best guys out there for this kind of thing. If I remember correctly, he has freely/publically given out his number and said that anyone struggling can give him a call and talk it out.

Well said!

 

[TheTotalPackage]

He always portrayed himself as a happy fella.

Unfortunately what's shown on the outside is the complete opposite of what is felt on the inside. Comedians for example, an industry where suicide rates are generally higher, are a perfect example of this.

 

[Deebo]

A part of the link that should be quoted for emphasis:

Depression is a disease. It's not an issue or a demon, although it may act like one. And if you want to honor Wade's memory, do it this way; never ever tell someone to snap out of it. And never ask anyone, what do you have to be depressed about? Start accepting depression as a serious and sometimes fatal illness.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Unfortunately what's shown on the outside is the complete opposite of what is felt on the inside. Comedians for example, an industry where suicide rates are generally higher, are a perfect example of this.

Exactly! Much was written about this when Robin Williams died. These was even a comedy club in LA who offered free psychiatric counselling to all the comics who performed at his club. Very nice gesture IMO and showed the owner to be not only compassionate, but very knowledgeable on the subject of depression and the tendency of comedians to suffer from it.

 

[TheProspector]

This is a phenomenal essay.

 

[ULF_55]

Thought this was worth a read ...

https://x.com/i/web/status/1830268416025829466

Wade Belak’s friendship, personality, selflessness and authenticity had a profound effect on my life.

We’d spend off days on weekends together in our backyards. Our kids would play together, swim together. Our wives usually had to drive home.

No one laughed like Wade. No one drank coffee or beer faster than Wade. No one helped others like Wade. No one loved his wife and kids more than Wade. Wade was a great big self aware, selfless softy.

He loved people. He loved animals. And he loved farting in a car then locking the windows. And he had this confidence in who he was, sans ego, that doesn’t exist in many people. But never abused his privilege.

He used it to help others. Playing in the NHL was a means to an end. It was just part of his journey to the destination of being a goat farming financial planner.

He loved being around happy people and was never negative, always quietly positive and hopeful.

My sons have reverence for his memory. He was larger than life and they liked it when he came to their hockey practices. He was “Uncle Wade” who was pretty good at hockey too.

He loved reading about the Kennedy’s and financial planning and was one of the most financially literate people I’ve ever met. He loved to learn. He was the calmest person in the room in every room he was in.

He knew who he was and everyone felt safe around him. Not because he could fight. People felt safe around Wade because he never judged anyone, always advocated for kindness. The right thing and people good to other human beings.

I remember these things 13 years after we lost him because those are the only things that matter. I’ll see you again, sir. Until then, thank you.

 

[rumman]

Sad story, good article. When I read stuff like this it only strengthens my opinion that fighting should be banned hockey. The article didn't mention it but I'd be very surprised if the brain trauma from frequent blows to the head didn't play a role here.

RIP Wade!

I read a brain book a few years back (I think it was called the ever changing brain.) and the author said heading a soccer ball was detrimental to your brain health so it’s pretty hard to go thur life and not injure your mental health………..

 

[ULF_55]

I read a brain book a few years back (I think it was called the ever changing brain.) and the author said heading a soccer ball was detrimental to your brain health so it’s pretty hard to go thur life and not injure your mental health………..

Yes, there were some rules here, not sure if still in effect, that kids under the age of X were not to head the ball.

We had one kid on my son's team "U15 ish" who was doing heading drills (from corners) with a concussion and I was assistant coach and tried to stop that but the head coach insisted, as did his parents, that he should continue., Maybe they had too many concussions?

Heading a ball during a game is quite different than spending 30 minutes continuously heading the ball.

I know too soft, we should have no concern about the other 50-70 years of life!

 

[rumman]

Yes, there were some rules here, not sure if still in effect, that kids under the age of X were not to head the ball.

We had one kid on my son's team "U15 ish" who was doing heading drills (from corners) with a concussion and I was assistant coach and tried to stop that but the head coach insisted, as did his parents, that he should continue., Maybe they had too many concussions?

Heading a ball during a game is quite different than spending 30 minutes continuously heading the ball.

I know too soft, we should have no concern about the other 50-70 years of life!

People live longer now, the effects probably didn’t show up because society didn’t live as long on average……..

 

[PuckMagi]

The article also says he was on anti-depressants for the last 4-5 years. While I understand these pills help some people, they can also make people suicidal. I personally don't believe that the current conventional approach to treating depression works all that well where they keep putting people on these SSRI drugs and having them talk to someone once a week. So many people never get off these drugs and they essentially take them indefinitely. It also seems like when you try to get off them is when it really causes problems.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I read a brain book a few years back (I think it was called the ever changing brain.) and the author said heading a soccer ball was detrimental to your brain health so it’s pretty hard to go thur life and not injure your mental health………..

I heard that quite some time ago and sure, it's hard to go through life completely avoiding any risks, ill effects etc. That said, heading the ball is an integral part of soccer whereas hockey without fighting would still be hockey.

 

[The Shadow]

Interesting that Babcock was helping with mental health but from many stories I’ve read or heard he was a big cause of mental health issues for players

The only person I’ve ever heard say anything nice about him was Brad May who said Babcock let his son join the wings practice and set up a stall and everything for him.

Everything else has been not so nice

 

[tmlms13]

I think I read that with soccer if you're prepared to get hit or intending to head the ball it doesn't have the same brain damage.

Even in a fight your still not "prepared" like you would be doing headers in soccer

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I force myself shower and change my clothes about once a week now whether I think I need to or not.

That's a MASSIVE improvement from where I was ten years ago. The medication and not drinking helps. But I've also given my life purpose by working seven nights a week split between a homeless shelter and alcohol treatment centre.

Breaking the cycle is hard but not impossible and I've seen thousands upon thousands of success stories for proof.