In APN\u2019s podcast episode<\/a>, Depression Treatment Saved My Life: Recovery x Dusty<\/em>, Dusty opened up about what it was like to be a retired athlete dealing with mental illness. As he shares his experiences throughout the episode, it becomes clear that coming in for treatment at APN quite literally saved his life.<\/p>\n From feeling isolated and alone to forging bonds in brotherhood with others, Dusty has a powerful message to share with people who may be undergoing difficult or dark times. To learn more about Dusty\u2019s story, check out the full podcast or continue reading below.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that the interviewee in this podcast is not shown on camera, nor is Dusty his real name. Because Dusty is a public figure, it\u2019s essential for him to remain anonymous when sharing his story.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, this is just so near and dear to my heart and I just want just people to know how special APN [is],\u201d Dusty said. \u201c[They] just take care of people and it’s not a public thing. They do a great [job in keeping] everything anonymous and I just want everybody to know that you don’t have to be afraid. [As a former professional athlete], I don’t want anybody attacking me because of sharing my story. So it’s important to me to just keep everything private [so] I can talk freely and be 100% honest, real, and authentic.\u201d<\/p>\n Even though Dusty isn\u2019t the interviewee\u2019s real name, there is still significant meaning behind the chosen title.<\/p>\n \u201c[I derive joy and] inspiration from the famous wrestler Dusty Rhodes,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cHe had a famous speech one time he called \u2018Hard Times<\/a>.\u2019 It’s a deep speech I can draw strength from. May [Dusty] rest in peace.\u201d<\/p>\n Most of Dusty\u2019s life was spent living in the fast lane, giving 100% of himself to his sport. But when an injury prevented him from playing, he was overtaken by isolation and grief.<\/p>\n \u201cI was all alone [after my injury], just by myself rehabbing, just trying to overcome it\u2013you know?\u201d Dusty said. \u201c[I was] trying to use my athletic mindset to just push forward but it just it wasn’t working. When you’re [an] athlete and you’re injured, you\u2019re looked at as damaged goods. I know you all are familiar [with] what they do to racehorses that can’t race anymore. It’s the same thing with an athlete who is labeled as damaged, you know? \u2013 He’s not going to get any more shots. He’s not going to get any more contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n Having dedicated his whole life to his sport, Dusty was unsure where to turn to when it was abruptly ripped away from his world.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just isolate [after that],\u201d \u201cWhen you give everything you have to the game because that’s what it takes to stay in the game \u2013 you\u2019ve got to give your heart and soul to it \u2013 and the people that you are playing for [say] it’s all about family [but then you realize it\u2019s not]. When you’re injured no one checks on you. No one gives you a call to say, \u2018hey, you all right?\u2019 [or a] \u2018get well soon.\u2019 So you know, you just go to a dark place of just being alone and not having anyone there \u2026 I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t focus anymore. I [was having] thoughts [of] just to wanting to make it stop and \u2026 thinking of leaving here.\u201d<\/p>\n Fortunately for Dusty, he chose bravery in the face of overwhelming depression and darkness by asking for help.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the grace of God, I was introduced to APN by my therapist,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cWhen I finally reached out for help, she knew that [our] weekly [meeting] wasn’t enough, and she recommended APN to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Even though Dusty agreed to give APN Lodge<\/a> a go, he almost didn\u2019t make it because of his overwhelming anxiety and panic about attending a treatment facility for the first time ever.<\/p>\n \u201c[I had] lots of anxiety, you know? I almost didn’t make it,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cI had a panic attack right before I was headed to the airport, but my therapist \u2026 she really just gave me hope and told me that place would really help me and that’s what made me [come]. She gave me some hope to keep going and that’s what caused me to actually get help and follow through and fight through the panic attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n When Dusty finally made it to APN, his anxieties and fears were instantly lifted.<\/p>\n \u201c[Coming to APN] \u2013 it was like heaven man,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cIt was a warm place where everybody \u2026 [was] just helping each other. All the staff [were] just so understanding and wanting to work with you. [They really took] the time [to] get to know [my] story and not just label [me] an athlete.\u201d<\/p>\n In particular, Dusty felt the connections he made with the therapists at APN were life-changing.<\/p>\n \u201c[I] shed a lot of tears with the [therapists at APN],\u201d Dusty said. \u201cYou know, they talk you off the edge. It’s just times when you’re not even in a therapy session and you’re by yourself and the thoughts and things start coming [back]. They’ll pick up their phone at two in the morning [and] answer. It\u2019s that type of therapist that’s here. [They] care about you as a person. [They want] to keep you alive. They give you the tools and help you work through things so you don’t take that way out.\u201d<\/p>\n For Dusty in particular, he really felt that the staff and therapists viewed him as a person and not an athlete, which was huge for him in his healing process.<\/p>\n \u201cThey actually care about me as a person [and] it’s not about [me being an] athlete,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cYou know, that’s where a big part of my depression [lies]. [My] anxiety and everything came from my athletic experience because it was just all about the [sport]. What can you do if you can’t do it [any] more? [I felt like I was] just getting treated like a piece of meat. But [the therapists at APN] treat you like a human.\u201d<\/p>\n Because of the work he has and is accomplishing in therapy, Dusty\u2019s gained some new tools to help him on his path to wellness.<\/p>\n \u201c[I\u2019m] constantly [using] the tools they gave me to maneuver [through life] and keep pushing forward,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cLiterally, [the staff are] just so supportive and understanding and [they] just care about me, like really genuinely care about me \u2026 It’s a blessing that I encountered them and how they helped changed my life. [I\u2019m] still here [because of it].\u201d<\/p>\n Not only did the staff at APN have a transformative impact on Dusty, but he also talked about finding a true family in his connections with others.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, [my connections with other APN participants were] just so warm,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cWhereas when I was first trying to tell my own family that I [wasn\u2019t] feeling right, [my] whole family [didn\u2019t] understand. They tell you it’s not real. They tell you [it doesn\u2019t] exist because they don’t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, Dusty found a group of people who understood.<\/p>\n \u201cThe community of people [at APN] is so amazing because [they] have been in the same battles that I have,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cWe can all relate and talk to each other. I don’t have to feel scared to talk about it because, you know, a person that has never experienced it, they can’t even relate. They tell you it’s made up. So when you meet a circle of guys that you can literally talk openly [with] and y’all all got similar stories it’s like literally a family.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, Dusty has people he can reach out to when times get tough.<\/p>\n \u201cThe group of guys I’ve met here \u2013 to this day \u2013 I keep in touch with, Dusty said. \u201cOne guy I’ve actually been to his home [and] spent time with his family. That’s the type of family [we\u2019re] building. You know, you lose a lot of friends after ball ends. A lot of people are just there for the good times \u2026 but once the sport is gone then people disappear. So now [I] have friends for life that [I] can talk to, you know, more than just [my therapists]. Like you have actual people you can just call and be like, \u2018man, how you doing today?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The kind of bond that Dusty talks about is almost unbreakable.<\/p>\n \u201c[There\u2019s] nothing like having a fellow peer that’s been through the same fire as you,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cY’all can both lean on each other and when one [person is] down [they] can pick [the other] up and vice versa. Every day is not going to be a good day \u2026 But [having] that friend to call and help you snap out of [those bad] thoughts\u2013that’s what this community builds. I can honestly say [I] have relationships that have carried on post APN that [have] really helped me. I can really call these guys my brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n While Dusty clearly had a transformative experience at APN, he also opened up about what life\u2019s been like since leaving and how APN still plays a role in his healing journey.<\/p>\n \u201cThe good thing about APN is I still have access to my therapists post [treatment] through telehealth. [That just really helps with] giving me tools [I need to navigate everyday life]. When I finally got the courage to go out the house, I was having trouble with people approaching me in the grocery store [and] asking me questions about [who I was, the sport I played, etc.]. It was very triggering because it would literally bring flashbacks when I [was just] trying to live a normal life and put all that stuff behind me. It would make me lash out and just have a bad reaction. Through working with [my APN therapist], [I\u2019ve gained] tools to help set boundaries. Now, [when] I’m going through things, I can do my music therapy [and] my breathing exercises. I’m doing every single tool they’re giving me. I’m applying it and it’s working,\u201d Dusty said.<\/p>\n Because Dusty has been able to work through some of his anxiety about leaving the house, he has found a new passion in giving back to the community.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I’m able to actually make it out the house some days [now],\u201d Dusty said. \u201c[On] days I’m feeling really good, I go work with the youth. I’m trying to help the kids never have to experience this. I’m making sure that the youth are comfortable with knowing it’s okay to have feelings. I never want [them] to get to this dark place I was in. [So], that’s a part of my therapy, you know, just trying to help the kids and give back.\u201d<\/p>\n As Dusty began to tear up, he had some powerful messages he wanted to impress on listeners.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m here to share this because I don’t want anybody else out there that’s going through this to feel alone,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cI don\u2019t want them to check out. I need you to know that [there\u2019s] help out there [and there\u2019s] places like APN that want to help you. [They] can teach you things and work through all the trauma you’ve been through and give you hope.\u201d<\/p>\n Having been in some incredibly dark places himself, Dusty really hopes to drive home this message of not giving up to anyone who may be struggling themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cLike I said, my mission is to help every person out there that’s going through something and to let them know [there\u2019s] hope,\u201d Dusty said. \u201cYou don’t have to give up. You don’t have to kill yourself. You don’t have to do it. Stay here. Stay here. Stay here. Stay here. Don’t do it. Let’s help.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019re interested in learning more about All Points North and our addiction and mental health recovery programs, complete our confidential contact form<\/a> or call us at 855.934.1178<\/a> today. You never know how good your life can get if you don\u2019t give up.<\/p>\n Listen and watch Dusty\u2019s episode of Recovery x APN below, and find more episodes on YouTube<\/a>, Spotify<\/a>, and Apple Podcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Written by Samantha Carter In APN\u2019s podcast episode, Depression Treatment Saved My Life: Recovery x Dusty, Dusty opened up about what it was like to be a retired athlete dealing with mental illness. As he shares his experiences throughout the episode, it becomes clear that coming in for treatment at APN quite literally saved his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":35679,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2,312,319,314],"tags":[399,66,398,392,229],"class_list":["post-38782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resources","category-pschiatry-psychology","category-relationships","category-social-club-alumni","tag-athlete","tag-mental-health","tag-mental-health-recovery","tag-mental-health-symptoms","tag-mental-health-treatment"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38782"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38782\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}A Note on Anonymity<\/h2>\n
How Isolation and Injury Played a Role in Dusty\u2019s Mental Health<\/h2>\n
Dusty\u2019s First Time in a Treatment Center \u2013 Overcoming Anxiety and Panic<\/h2>\n
The Kind of Therapists That Pick Up Their Phones at 2 AM<\/h2>\n
Finding a True Family at APN<\/h2>\n
Life After APN<\/h2>\n
Giving Back and Working With the Youth<\/h2>\n
You Don\u2019t Have to Give Up<\/h2>\n
More From Dusty<\/h2>\n