Joe Marler has opened up on his battle with depression and how things got so dark that he thought the world was “better off” without him.
The former England rugby player is currently appearing on Celebrity Traitors. And has now revealed the true extent of his own battles behind the scenes.
Joe – who recently quit his own podcast – appeared on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast today (October 22), where he spoke very openly and honestly about his darkest days.
Joe Marler ‘wouldn’t be here’ without wife Daisy
Joe and his wife, Daisy, have been married since 2017. Together, the couple have four children – Pixie, Maggie, Felix and Jasper.
Gushing about his wife to Jamie, Joe admitted she is the reason he is still here today.
He expressed: “I wouldn’t be here. Like not, I don’t mean at the Sweet Factory. I mean, it would be that as well, but I wouldn’t be here in this world without her.”
Joe gushed: “I love her to pieces mate. She has been through everything. Ups and downs. She is the reason I wake up in the morning, to go and have an adventure for the day with her and the kids. I don’t think I say it publicly enough because she doesn’t need that.”
Joe Marler on his mental health struggles
But even though he had such a loving family, Joe struggled quite a lot with his own mental health. And it came to a head after an argument with Daisy.
Joe admitted in 2016 he had “a meltdown” where he didn’t even want to show up for his job. And every morning he would “cry” on his way into work.
When Jamie asked who he opened up to, Joe told him: “No one. There was no way I was telling anyone. I wouldn’t even tell Daisy or anyone at home. Why would I burden her with all of that?
“Then why would I tell anyone at work? You’re meant to be this strong alpha at work. You don’t want someone who is just crying and wussing all the time.”
Two years later, Joe’s dark thoughts returned, while Daisy was pregnant with their third child.
He explained: “I had lost the plot. We had a massive argument over a [bleep]ing squirrel. I was distant, mate. I wasn’t present at home physically and emotionally.
“I turned the house over, had a complete meltdown, run out on Daisy. And then the sort of thoughts of not wanting to be here anymore really took hold of me. I thought, well, maybe the world is better off if I’m not around. All right, let’s just leave.”
Joe continued to explain his feelings, adding: “From a practical point of view of leaving her and the kids around. But also from a worldly point of view. You go: ‘What would that look like if I wasn’t here anymore?'”
The ‘turning point’ for Joe
For Joe, that moment was when he realised he needed help. And from there, he went to see a psychiatrist to help him.
He explained: “We had a chat and he asked if everything was all right at home and all that lot, he delved into it a lot more. It was him who was like: ‘We’re going to get you some help. Let’s get through the game today and then we’ll get you help.'”
Joe believes that was “the turning point” for his mental health battle.
“I was free immediately. I did the whole debrief. It was great. Then the assessment was depression that it recommended me to start taking antidepressants. Immediately, I didn’t think I needed them.”
However, he finally decided to give the medication a try, admitting he has been “on and off them” since 2018.
Read more: Celebrity Traitors fans praise Joe Marler: ‘Only one with any common sense’
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