(Reuters) – Former tennis world number four Jelena Dokic revealed on Monday that she contemplated suicide in April before she sought professional help to deal with depression and anxiety.
Dokic, who became a tennis coach and commentator after her retirement in 2014, said the last six months had been tough with “constant feelings of sadness and pain”.
The 39-year-old Australian did not explain why but she had split with her long-time partner Tin Bikic in January after 19 years together, saying at the time that she was trying to process the “pain and trauma” of the breakup.
“The last six months have been tough. It’s been constant crying everywhere,” she wrote on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CevUejopvHB.
“From hiding in the bathroom when at work to wipe away my tears so that nobody sees it to the unstoppable crying at home within my four walls has been unbearable.
“The result: almost jumping off my 26th floor balcony on April 28th. Will never forget the day, I just wanted the pain and the suffering to stop. I pulled myself off the edge, don’t even know how I managed to do it.”
Dokic said getting professional help had helped her deal with the negative emotions and urged those dealing with similar issues to do the same.
“This is not easy to write but I have always been open, honest and vulnerable with you all and I deeply believe in the power of sharing our stories to help us get through things and to help each other,” she added.
“I am writing this because I know I am not the only one struggling. Just know that you are not alone.
“Don’t be ashamed of what you are feeling. It’s ok to feel this way and you can come back from it.”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
