Tigers outfielder Austin Meadows took to Twitter this afternoon to announce that he’s been away from the playing field attending to a mental health concern. Manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Evan Woodbery of MLive.com) that Meadows won’t return to the field this year.
“What I have told very few people is that I have been … struggling with my mental health in a way that has extended my time away from the game that I love so much,” Meadows wrote in his statement. “I’ve been dealing with this privately with a great team of professionals, but I need to continue to put in the hard work off the field towards feeling mentally healthy.
While I’ve been back in the clubhouse the past few weeks, and plan to remain with the club through the end of the season, I am still not ready to return to the field. I am so grateful for my family, my teammates, and the Tigers organization for supporting me through this. I can’t do this alone, and I hope in sharing my experience I can touch at least one person who might be going through their own struggles and encourage them to reach out to someone for help.”
Meadows has played in 36 MLB games this year, his first in Detroit after an early April trade from the Rays. He spent some time on the injured list in mid-May battling vertigo-like symptoms. He returned in June but quickly went back on the IL due to COVID-19. While attempting to recover from that illness, Meadows suffered strains of both his Achilles tendons. He was sent on a rehab assignment on August 10 but pulled off a few days later, with the team not disclosing details about his shutdown at the time.
Hinch praised Meadows for going public with news of his battle, saying it was the outfielder’s decision. “Austin has chosen the path to be proactive and help others while helping himself,” the manager said (via Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic), adding his hope that today’s announcement will help others dealing with similar struggles. MLBTR sends our best wishes to Meadows.
As someone who has done time at the McLean Institute and also UCLA’s mental health program, I can sympathy with Meadows. A lot of people will call him a “Nancy” or “Sissy” or whatever. But mental health can be really tough – almost as if it’s a full time job.
I doubt, or at least hope, that people won’t. Mental health has been in the spotlight these last few years and the public takes it more seriously now.
Hope not, jonbluvin. I remember Jim Eisnereich being diagnosed with Tourette’s back in the 80’s and there were fans who tortured him because of it. I like to think there’s a little more understanding these days.
I’m going to UCLA in about two weeks now to start, is the mental support there for real or is it just there as a façade?
my hat’s off to Meadows for seeking treatment. Mental health is often ignored due to the stigma others bring about
His problem with vertigo could have contributed to this
As someone who has tried to commit suicide 3 times, I admire Meadows strength to take time off to go get help. Could write a book about my own struggles with mental health and the court system. You do need a whole team of professionals
Hippyripper- I’m glad that you’re still here homie and I’m happy that you’re able to share something like that with us on here in hopes of helping others understand that mental health should be taken seriously.
I’m glad you’re still here man! Don’t give up. You’re not alone
Oh man while it’s so hard to read the words you shared it takes guts to do so. In fact, I feel many have it wrong. If you think about it, it takes courage to take your life as opposed to being “the easy way out” as so many say. But do not do it. Do anything but that. Somebody loves you and wants you alive brother. God does, if you are a man of faith Even if not, please don’t ever attempt it again. This might be your only life. As bad as things may feel, there are better days ahead.
I lost my younger brother to it about 25 years ago. He had all the love and help he could’ve ever needed but he refused to admit that he had a problem. Mental health issues rarely happen overnight, it could take years. Thanks for sharing your struggle. No…you AREN’T alone.
I know it’s hard Skippy, After my divorce I wanted to end my life.. Life finds a way through are journeys. though so continue on and stay strong!
You are one stand-up dude, my man. The more people that stand up and admit they’ve struggled with mental issues, the easier it will be for everyone else. Same thing with alcohol, drugs, etc.
Bravo!
And best wishes to Mr. Meadows. A UCL tear, TJS, tec., is part of the game. Mental issues, not so very much.
I wrote a script about living with my struggles. There’s one character, it’s all voice over, and 90% takes place in my apartment. I can’t find someone to help, and I don’t know if I have the strength to do it alone.
Kewldood69 and others,
There’s a new 988 helpline available. I encourage anyone needing assistance to give them a call. I lost my brother about 10 years ago, and I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what my family has.
I struggle with it on a daily basis, This really hit home. God speed meadows. I feel yah brother!!
I struggle with it daily too. working out and staying active and busy is the only way to continue to ward off depressive and any forms or thoughts of suicide. But I use the frustration from it to motivate me to be better than I was the day before. like yesterday I was frustrated so I went to the gym and just ran on the treadmill mill on and off at variable speeds. and walked as well. I decided to take myself off of all the depression meds and focus on fixing myself without any medication and just heal with working out and use my pain to push myself. It’s kind of how I succeeded to grow my business from the ground up. So im using my depression and pain to push me to new paths beyond what I ever thought I was capable of and not be lazy. I think that’s the only solution for someone who has depression is to continue to be active and workout super regularly and stay away from alcohol.
Wise words amigo. Thoughtful post.
@rynoresumes I worked in the mental health community, and it’s never a good idea to stop taking your meds. However, since you’ve already done it, take B Vitamins every day, especially B6 & B12.
workout super regularly
=============================
I’ve often wondered if this is what drives the uber-athletes. I’d bet that a decent amount of athletes probably feel most comfortable inside a gym.
I’d also bet that a lot of regular working stiffs would feel a whole lot less stressed with a couple of miles each night.
It’s more than a full-time job, it one hundred percent life altering, and if not treated properly can have serious consequences.
Some people might say there’s no way with all that money that you can be depressed, but I promise you anxiety, depression they come hand in hand, and mental illness can be extremely debilitating to the point where you don’t even want to get out of bed.
That money doesn’t do you any good when you don’t even want to go anywhere because you’re constantly having panic attacks, where anything might be a trigger, so you just stay in bed all day wishing for sleep. Trust me when I say it is and can be a MISERABLE existence.
Then, on top of it all, you isolate yourself away from your family and loved ones, because you don’t want them worrying about you, or bringing your problems on them. Especially, when half the time you don’t even know what’s wrong..You can be perfectly fine, and then all of a sudden your hands get sweaty, your heart starts racing out of your chest, you cannot think clearly, you think you’re heaving a heart attack or something, and you dint know what to do, you just want to feel normal…
I wouldn’t wish severe anxiety nor depression on my worst enemy. For those of you out there fighting this battle, you aren’t alone. Although it seems bleak there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!
Seriously thank you so much for sharing this. I really need the help.
Fellas. Thank you for being willing to be open and honest about some of your personal life realities. Me too. Personality disorder diagnosis. Hard as hell to shake loose from it. A mix of behavioral health care provider activity and 12 step program work has my head in a pretty good space today. IE. day in and day out, more peace of mind than chaotic worrying. Finally!
If anyone out there is reading this feed and needs help but can’t afford continuous health care care, maybe check out these 12 step programs. Most meetings are open format. No money required. And best of all, I’m hanging out with people wired like me that genuinely care about me as I them. Maybe, google “12 step program”. These programs started showing up in the 1930s, staying power for sure.
Happy for Austin. My gut says this is a bigger issue than it appears and not just in MLB, but professional sports in general. There are reasons why many professional sports teams have phycologists on staff … and not just for performance anxiety but for these mental health wellness issues as well. And Austin, dude, way to step up. For sure you helped someone today with your honesty. Cheers.
When I started getting treatment for my anxiety, about 12 years ago, my awesome family doctor explained it to me in a way that made sense like no other. He said that anxiety and depression are on opposites of the line. But, when you bend that line into an arc or a circle, they end up right next to each other. That’s when it clicked for me that I wasn’t on opposite sides of the spectrum with how I was feeling.
12 years later I feel better than ever. I am fortunate that I do not have situation based anxiety, and mine seems to be almost exclusively a chemical imbalance. Daily medication l, exercise, and surrounding my self with positive people have made a world of difference. I no longer feel that an elephant is sitting on my chest.
@espn1978, interesting “arc” viewpoint/strategy from your doc. I’m investigating further. Thank you for sharing this!
The players got each others backs they are brothers at the end of the day. Trout is the biggest mental health advocate in the show I’m sure he will be helping any way he can. You don’t hear this kind of stuff often. Takes guts to even tell the truth.
Had my share on anxiety issues over the years. Out of nowhere. I remember the Philly Eagles lineman who couldn’t make it out of the tunnel for a game a few years ago, it was so overwhelming. The mind can do crazy things to physical well being. Hope Austin recovers quickly and learns to cope with these issues
I applaud his honesty. I wish him well and a successful recovery. Well done again for sharing – a brave and worthy move.
I wish Austin the best of luck in addressing his mental health issues. I have been treated for major depressive disorder for years myself. It is a daily struggle for me! In a way, it is harder than a physical illness to live with as well as getting treatment for it.
Hopefully, Austin you will get the treatment and support you need in the offseason to get ready for 2023!! Good Luck !!
Many prayers. It’s not easy going through something like that alone. It’s probably even harder to do it under the spotlight of professional athletics.
A huge tip of the cap to Meadows for thinking of others as he begins this journey.
Good on him for addressing an issue that many men sometimes don’t address out of fear of being labeled “weak”. If anything it takes a strong person to admit that you’re struggling. I hope he gets better, I’ll be pulling for him
Well said. I’m glad you and a few others have pointed out that it takes a strong “person” to admit to having these struggles. It seems more professional woman athletes are also having similar experiences
I admire Austin’s strength in going public with his mental health struggles. It helps to normalize the issues and encourage others in a less-public sphere to get help.
Good luck, Austin. It isn’t easy, but hopefully you are healthy and back on the field in 2023.
He definitely delivered a giant blow to the stigma. Pure guts/courage.
I applaud him for dealing with this very serious issue in the best way posdible.
Wow STELLAR 2019 campaign…
I wonder if covid is a root cause? It did affect many people in different ways?
On my front have a teen daughter who was a four sport athlete, very good at 3. That lost year mentally affected her…sports is no longer a thing for her….
Thoughts and prayers Austin!
Best wishes to you and your daughter. The world needs more kick-ass female athletes.
I think part of it may be the vertigo and concussion related issues on Medows side
We need to keep an eye on our kids. I coached at a high school level and many of these young men and women are feeling the affects of the isolation and solitude that Covid caused.
They don’t always have the life skills yet to manipulate through this insane time.
Saying a prayer for your daughter.
Good for him.
I hope that other people reading this and having issues with mental health will go get what help is needed. Takes a lot of guts to announce this and get the help
Best of luck Austin, get well soon!
Godspeed
Having dealt with similar issues, also with confusing vertigo with panic attacks, really feel for the guy. Once I found what works (changing location/environment, usually just going outside and looking up for 10 seconds), it luckily has been easy for me to address. Hope he finds an easy management plan and gets back out there.
Good Luck Austin!
If Meadows gets the right treatment and comes out of this strengthened, then this cursed Tigers season will at least served a worthy purpose. He won’t have to forgo any relevant baseball for a long time, so hopefully he takes all the time he needs.
Gruß,
BSHH
My God wants me to say I love Him, because I do. Not because I am afraid.
Apparently, No one wants to be truthful about what is going in our country….
Tell the truth…get deleted.
Because IT HAPPENED TO.ME AND I AM.NOT OK WITH IT!
My god.
I am NOT KIDDING.
JERAMY GIAMBI WAS AT THE MURPHY GAS STATION ON BEN WHITE.
HE WAS WITH SOME SMART ARSE POS.
SAME FKR WHO WAS DOPING.ME!!!!!
AKSED.ME ABOUT JERAMY AND I SAID NO WAY DID I WANT TO.HANG.OUT WITH HIM.( Because I have several years celibate, and I do not want to waste it.going to a strip club)
THEY ALREADY HAD ME DOPED UP. As I was driving away, I heard.the guy telling Jeramy a load about what I had said.
A WEEK LATER HE WAS DEAD.
They are hurting people, our country just to.make themselves.feel powerful!
it happened!
And just to clarify…I HAD NO.IDEA.that.Jeramy Giambi was sitting in the car 30 ft away ( if I did, I.would have asked him for an autograph)
The guy he was driving with.mentioned.that movie and I said.something like yeah…the guy really blew it….
The guy he was driving with ,,100% led the conversation,, 100% knew someone else had doped.me up!
Our lives shluld be 100% different than they are
The guy he was with should.have been a MAN ABOUT IT,and said Hey, that’s Jeramy Giambi over.there and he’s looking for.some cool guys to.hang out with”.
But, no. The guy was a scammer. Mentioned.that movie on.purpose to get a sarcastic remark about Jeramy.
He knew.I was doped.up. I doubt Jeramy knew or was in on it….. got.me.to say I’m not even sure I am a baseball fan anymore (Manfreds rule changes)
I didn’t remember until that day.
I CARE ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON AND AM INFINITELY UPSET ABOUT IT!
I struggled with vertigo off and on. I still feel I slightly can’t determine what is level.
Mental health can take a lifetime to treat. Try 1 medication, ramp up for months, see if it works, what your side effects are, try another.
Side effects can cause apathy, cognitive issues like recall, etc.
Meds can quit working, also contraindications from other meds. And that is from just the first med.
It can be quite a cycle.
I’m surprised it isn’t even more widely understood or used to take off. Especially as its diagnosed more often in the younger.
Hoping for all the best for him. As someone who also struggles with mental health, it can truly be draining and definitely impacts my effectiveness/focus at work. Good on him for sharing and wanting to help others
Must be especially tough for a professional athlete to acknowledge a mental health issue, especially publicly. We sometimes forget baseball is played by young men working in an extremely high stress environment and at best requires a lot of emotional adaptations. Mental health issues are no doubt a lot more common in the game than we realize. Good on Meadows for making this real, maybe it will inspire others to step forward and get the help they need.
You are not alone Austin. Get well!
Next man up, Detroit!
Nevertheless, this will be an interesting arbitration hearing next year.
I suffer from intermittent vertigo. For the most part I can avoid triggering an episode if I don’t drop my head up or down too fast or if I don’t stand or spin around quickly; plus staying hydrated helps. I don’t ride bikes even though I want to, and I had to turn an opportunity to umpire youth league baseball because I’m afraid to trigger an episode. I can’t imagine trying to be an athlete and having vertigo. Sometimes it’ll just pass, and sometimes you’re Nick Esasky. Meadows has to be feeling the stress of the uncertainty. Hopefully he can move past his physical and psychological issues and return to the field and be happy and successful.
I can say from experience, believe it or not, you can aggravate your vertigo with a blunt force to your shoulder area even more than if you received a one directly to your head. I remember that occurred to Justin Morneau as well.
I can say from experience, believe it or not, you can aggravate your vertigo with a blunt force to your shoulder area even more than if you received a one directly to your head. I remember that occurred to Justin Morneau.
Having had to retire due tosevere depression, I know what it’s like. I’ve gained a TON of respect for Mr. Meadows for coming out and sharing his very personal health issue. It takes extreme inner fortitude to do such a thing. What we, as a society, just do, is take the stigma off of mental health issues and make help more available for the average person. He’s very fortunate to be a professional ball player and have the help readily available. However, even though it is, his battle isn’t over. For those who are treating this lightly and joking about it, you should be ashamed of yourself. I’m heartened that a great majority of comments are supportive of him and those who suffer from the inner demons of mental health issues. For that, I thank you. I’m sure if Austin saw your support he’d thank you as well!
Does Tampa owe compensation?
A lot of good people on this site posting positive stuff. What it’s all about.
Hopefully his admission helps not only him, but gives others who need help the understanding that it is not a failure, but an illness to be cured. Wishing him the best.
One can have a broken foot, broken brain, broken spirit…each requires repair. Most sufferers can’t just think such things away. Takes more than just being a competitor.
It wasn’t all that long ago that a pitcher’s sore arm was “all in your head”. So we’ve come a ways, with a ways to go.
Meadows could very well be perusing MLBTR and reading our collective comments in the coming days…We’re with you buddy. Got ur back.
Would this be considered turning his back on the team? I know E-Rod caught a ton of slack for tending to his family.
Only from.the same aholes.
That wasn’t a mental health issue… E-Rod also ghosted the team for awhile. Don’t think he handled things appropriately at all.
Good for him.
All support and respect to the dude. The most important thing is being a healthy person. Being a ballplayer pales by comparison.
I am extremely glad he’s getting the help he needs. Just so strange that you have this happen with Meadows and then FA signing ERod is away for most of the year on unpaid leave for his family issues. Been such an awful year for this organization. Cannot think of a time that a team has dealt with issues like these two, injuries, HUGE slumps from players that were being counted on for big seasons, awful FA signings, rookies who have struggled mightily, etc. It’s just been a terrible season at Comerica! Here’s to hoping that whoever they bring in for GM can turn this ship around sooner rather than later!
I can relate. after 9 years I’m giving up my tigers season tickets due to my mental health.
Post of the entire thread. Spot on.
Well done. Tasteful yet funny. Made me laugh.
Tasteful but funny is almost non-existent in comments here.