In the high-pressure world of professional football, where physical fitness and mental resilience are expected to be at the highest level, a growing concern has emerged – footballers using sleeping pills, and at the centre of this issue is professional football player Dele Alli.
While the footballing world often celebrates the achievements of its players, there is also a less-publicised struggle behind the scenes for many players which involves the abuse and reliance on sleeping pills to combat the intense demands of the sport.
Dele Alli, a prominent English footballer, this year spoke out about his sleeping pill addiction and mental health struggles, shedding light on a broader problem that exists within professional football on Gary Neville’s podcast The Overlap.
After initially being prescribed sleeping pills from football doctors in safe quantities, once an addiction developed he then sourced them illegally, which is when his sleeping pill addiction became much worse.
Find out more about the issue of sleeping pills in football, Dele Alli’s experience with sleeping pill addiction and how this may be a wider problem than many realise in professional football.
Is There a Sleeping Pill Problem in Professional Football?
In The Overlap podcast, one of the main topics of discussion was the issue of sleeping pills in football. At the time of filming, Dele Alli had recently left rehab where he received treatment for mental health and sleeping pill addiction and was discussing how his addiction developed.
Alli said, “You’ve got to be up in the morning to train, you’ve got all the adrenaline and stuff so sometimes, you know to take a sleeping tablet to sleep and be ready for the next day.”
Gary also agreed with the common use of sleeping pills in football, saying “When I was a player, sleeping pills are not unusual in football. You’d be offered one before a game because of the build up of adrenaline, and also sometimes after a game.”
Sleeping pills are prescribed by physicians and doctors in the premier league for players to be able to sleep before or after a professional match. This is because the physical and mental demands of the sport may make players less likely to sleep properly in the lead up to or after games.
Any person can develop a sleeping pill addiction if they are abused or taken for long periods of time. Dele Alli said himself, “I got addicted to sleeping tablets and it’s probably a problem that not only I have. I think it is something that’s going around a lot more than people realise in football.”
Due to the number of pills that are prescribed to players in professional football, it is a potential issue and a risk for addiction.
Why Are Sleeping Pills in Football So Common?
Sleeping pills are provided to players to help them sleep before and after matches in some cases, as disturbed sleep and insomnia are common for players who have built up adrenaline or nervousness for a football game.
Although not everyone becomes addicted to sleeping pills from casual use, the mental impacts of football are another reason why some players may become addicted to sleeping tablets or other drugs.
As Dele Alli commented, “Even something like losing a game can affect you mentally, and you have to be ready and smiling the next day.” Having these high expectations and the pressure of performing for fans can have significant mental health impacts.
How Dele Alli Has Destigmatised Addiction
By speaking out about his mental health troubles and sleeping pill addiction, Dele Alli has highlighted the potential problem with prescription sleeping pill addiction in professional football. His comments have also helped to shed awareness about the impact of mental health and issues of addiction for many people who may not understand it.
When discussing his sleeping pill addiction, Dele said: “That’s the problem, it works until it doesn’t. I would definitely abuse them too much […] I was never really dealing with the problem and it got really bad at some points […] I’d tell myself I wasn’t an addict and I didn’t need help.” These reactions are common for people suffering from addiction, which he has destigmatised on a large platform.
He also commented, “I wanted to deal with it by myself. I didn’t feel like opening up to anyone”, which is a common problem many people face when dealing with drug addictions and mental health.
Now that Dele Alli has recovered from his addiction in rehab, he now aims to focus on football and his mental health again. By speaking out about his childhood troubles, addiction and mental health issues, he will have undoubtedly helped many people struggling too.
Posted on Wednesday, December 6th, 2023 at 5:05 pm in Addiction, Latest News.
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