In January, 74-year-old Hunt was driving alongside the Princes Highway to Geelong round 2am when he pulled to the facet of the street close to Avalon Airport and known as police for help.
Speaking on Sam Newman’s You Cannot Be Serious podcast, Hunt mentioned the incident noticed him positioned in psychological well being look after seven weeks.
“Life will never ever be the same,” Hunt mentioned.
Watch each match of each spherical of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
“Mental illness is a nasty word for some, but until it happens to you, I had no idea the ups and downs your mind goes through when you are suffering what I am suffering (from),”
Hunt mentioned his psychological well being began to say no seven years in the past after he grew to become hooked on ache killing opioids following surgical procedure for a debilitating neck damage.
“I overdosed on opioids and went downhill very, very quickly,” he mentioned.
“I am completely off opioids (now). I am certainly on a couple of medications from my psychiatrist to try and level out my brain, but it is a big thing. It is a big thing in your life and it is a big thing to talk about.
“If I can help somebody to understand that you can be what is normal, or quite normal in your particular mind, and the next moment you are in a straight jacket down in a facility.
“It is a chemical imbalance in the brain and I have been diagnosed with bipolar depression, high highs and low lows.”
Hunt gained two VFL premierships as a participant for Richmond earlier than carving out an extended profession as a commentator, the place he grew to become fan favorite for his distinctive flip of phrase.
He can be an completed fisherman.
Hunt mentioned he was identified with bipolar melancholy six years in the past after a “meltdown” that noticed him admitted to a psychological well being clinic in nation Victoria for six weeks.
He defined: “One night after Footy Nightline (on 3AW) I just had a meltdown and drove down to Phillip Island and started to ring everybody including Eddie (McGuire) and you, (Sam Newman), and was feeling sorry for myself and that is when I found myself for six weeks in the facility in Traralgon.”
Hunt mentioned his household had grown aside in latest instances and he wasn’t near his grownup kids for the time being.
“I hold myself totally responsible for what has happened, but it is a very private thing between Lynne (his wife) and I, but we are working on it,” he instructed the podcast.
“My children certainly aren’t (close). The whole family has busted up, simple as that, it is very, very sad, but things happen,” he mentioned.
“I am in a very difficult place at the moment because it is difficult to try and get everyone together when you are trying to get yourself together.”
Fans held grave fears for Hunt after he known as police within the early hours of January 17 after pulling over on the Princes Freeway close to Little River.
Fans feared for Hunt after he known as the police within the early hours of January 17 in a frantic state, asking for assist and claiming he had been attacked by thugs and threatened with a knife and a gun.
“The police came down and they made a recommendation that I be actually locked up because it was a figment of my imagination,” mentioned Hunt, who maintains he didn’t make something up.
“I was taken to Geelong psychiatric hospital.
“I may not ever get over my mental illness, but the thing about it is I am trying to control it.
“I spent the next seven weeks in the Victoria Clinic in Prahran in my own room on some special medication and then I was discharged a few weeks ago.”
Hunt mentioned he was grateful for the assist of his mates throughout his well being struggles and mentioned he was taking life “one day at a time”.
“For this to be, is up to me,” he instructed Newman.
“I just have to work it through and take every day as it comes.
“My mind is OK, I am thinking pretty good, I am looking forward to going fishing if I can get my shoulder fixed.”
Hunt has continued to make headlines lately following his retirement.
He grew to become embroiled in a high-profile public slanging match after making a Facebook rant calling for Wayne Carey to interchange AFLW champion Daisy Pearce on Channel 7’s stay soccer protection.
Most lately he was additionally caught on digicam showing to wield a backyard fork in a disturbing street rage incident in Victoria in July.
Hunt in December, 2021, additionally reportedly confronted and thwarted a would-be thief when a reporter’s laptop computer bag was snatched throughout an exhibition boxing match in Melbourne.
Source: www.news.com.au
