Health

Anna Flanagan: How Hockeyroo fell when addicted to alcohol


Hockey star Anna Flanagan has been candid about her alcoholism.

The Australian hockey champion’s life took a turn after she won a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and she became homeless, suffering from an eating disorder and mental health problems, even getting into trouble with the law.

Flanagan, 29, revealed on Triple M Breakfast with MG, Jess & Pagey on Thursday that she started drinking shortly after the Olympics while ‘at home alone and not allowed to do anything’ and felt like ‘stunned’ by the experience.

'My life is just a mess': Hockey star Anna Flanagan (pictured November 22, 2012, in Perth) has been candid about her alcoholism

'My life is just a mess': Hockey star Anna Flanagan (pictured November 22, 2012, in Perth) has been candid about her alcoholism

‘My life is just a mess’: Hockey star Anna Flanagan (pictured November 22, 2012, in Perth) has been candid about her alcoholism

Flanagan, who has been sober for a year, said: “It happened really fast, I couldn’t stop, and that’s when my performance took a hit but I still got all these opportunities. , sponsorship and this is the year of the Olympics,” said Flanagan, who has been sober for a year.

While dealing with hangovers, Anna is also battling an eating disorder.

The former hockey defender first faced the law when she was arrested in March 2016 in Perth with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit.

First taste: The former hockey defender started drinking during her sporting career when she was 'at home alone and not allowed to do anything' and felt 'stunned' by the experience test

First taste: The former hockey defender started drinking during her sporting career when she was 'at home alone and not allowed to do anything' and felt 'stunned' by the experience test

First taste: The former hockey defender started drinking during her sporting career when she was ‘at home alone and not allowed to do anything’ and felt ‘stunned’ by the experience test

Hockey Australia dropped her from the national team, ending her dream of playing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil later that year.

Flanagan claims the sports body was aware of her troubles with alcohol throughout her career, as well as her eating disorder, but did not intervene.

In 2017, Flanagan moved to Sydney and after going through a rough time, she found herself homeless and living in her car.

She admitted in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that there was a time when she wanted to kill herself when her mental health declined rapidly.

‘I was close to taking my own life. I went to The Gap [a notorious suicide spot in Sydney’s east]’ she recalled.

Struggling mentally: In 2017, Flanagan moved to Sydney and after going through a rough time, she found herself homeless and living in her car.  She admitted in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that there was a time when she wanted to kill herself as her mental health deteriorated rapidly.

Struggling mentally: In 2017, Flanagan moved to Sydney and after going through a rough time, she found herself homeless and living in her car.  She admitted in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that there was a time when she wanted to kill herself as her mental health deteriorated rapidly.

Struggling mentally: In 2017, Flanagan moved to Sydney and after going through a rough time, she found herself homeless and living in her car. She admitted in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that there was a time when she wanted to kill herself as her mental health deteriorated rapidly.

Flanagan never returned to the international arena for hockey, but did later play in the Australian Hockey League.

Despite a successful 2018 season, the defender’s alcoholism soon caught up with her and she was disqualified again at the end of the season.

‘A lot of girls were really worried, but I never admitted it [alcohol addiction]. I drank on the last day of the tour and got kicked out right at the end of 2018 and they took me off the team when the new coaching staff arrived,’ she told Triple M.

Flanagan claims coaching staff told her to ‘go away and get well’ after finding out she was addicted.

“It’s very clear what’s going on when you smell like alcohol,” she said. ‘Train for three hours, sweat, I’ll stink.’

Intervention: Despite a successful 2018 season, Flanagan's alcoholism soon caught up with her and she was dropped again at the end of the season.  She claims the coaching staff told her to 'go and get well' after finding out she was addicted

Intervention: Despite a successful 2018 season, Flanagan's alcoholism soon caught up with her and she was dropped again at the end of the season.  She claims the coaching staff told her to 'go and get well' after finding out she was addicted

Intervention: Despite a successful 2018 season, Flanagan’s alcoholism soon caught up with her and she was dropped again at the end of the season. She claims the coaching staff told her to ‘go and get well’ after finding out she was addicted

Flanagan effectively quit hockey as her alcoholism worsened.

In September 2020, the former athlete was arrested for a second time in Sydney’s north-west for high range driving and resisting arrest.

She then faced a sentence at Parramatta Local Court for two felony criminal counts.

Flanagan revealed that at the time, she was back at homelessness again and was at the lowest point of her life.

‘Getting caught was my lowest point, and as terrible as being caught by the police, it saved my life. I know it did. Before that, I just wanted to die,’ she said.

Downward spiral: Flanagan was arrested for a second time in September 2020 for high-altitude drink driving and resisting arrest in north-west Sydney.  She admitted she was homeless and was at the 'lowest point' of her life when she was handcuffed and charged

Downward spiral: Flanagan was arrested for a second time in September 2020 for high-altitude drink driving and resisting arrest in north-west Sydney.  She admitted she was homeless and was at the 'lowest point' of her life when she was handcuffed and charged

Downward spiral: Flanagan was arrested for a second time in September 2020 for high-altitude drink driving and resisting arrest in north-west Sydney. She admitted she was homeless and was at the ‘lowest point’ of her life when she was handcuffed and charged

Flanagan says her addiction to alcohol has cost her her job, relationships and even her home.

“I woke up – drank – passed out, woke up – drank – it was all day,” she recalls.

She then decided to enter rehab, which is where she met Chris Page, the host of Triple M, who was also battling alcoholism.

‘I was at the bottom. I have no answer. My life is just a mess,’ she told Page on the air.

Her story: She then decided to enter rehab, which is where she met Chris Page (Triple M host) (right), who was also battling alcoholism

Her story: She then made the decision to enter rehab, which is where she met Triple M host Chris Page (right), who is also battling alcoholism

Her story: She then decided to enter rehab, which is where she met Chris Page (Triple M host) (right), who was also battling alcoholism

‘I needed help, and it took me to a really low point where I realized I really couldn’t stop alone. “

Flanagan is now a year sober – a milestone that saw her achieve ‘three rehabs, 18 relapses and one arrest’.

She added that it was ‘the hardest thing possible to achieve this year’.

Recovery: Flanagan is now a year sober - a milestone she has achieved 'three rehabs, 18 relapses and one arrest'.  Pictured July 15, 2017, in Sydney

Recovery: Flanagan is now a year sober - a milestone she has achieved 'three rehabs, 18 relapses and one arrest'.  Pictured July 15, 2017, in Sydney

Recovery: Flanagan is now a year sober – a milestone she has achieved ‘three rehabs, 18 relapses and one arrest’. Pictured July 15, 2017, in Sydney

Source: | This article originally belonged to dailymail.co.uk



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