athlete

Top 10 Athletes, Who Went to Rehab – How did they Manage Addiction? Where are they Now?

Published on

Being a successful athlete is challenging, but many aspects are less pleasant. Money and fame are nice but don’t forget about the pressure and temptations coming in the same package.

Do athletes use drugs and substances as well?

Staying away from daily temptations takes a lot of will power, and only strong characters manage to avoid drug or substance abuse. Unfortunately, there are plenty of athletes with addictive personalities, who give everything to achieve their highest potential. The percentage of athletes with addictive personalities who fail to stay on track is quite high.

More often than not, athletes develop dependencies on illegal substances or alcohol, and they have to go to rehab centers. However, just because they end the program, it doesn’t mean that they’ve eliminated addiction from their life forever. The experts from theholisticsanctuary.com say that the risk for relapse and irreparable damage to their career remains high.

On top of everything else, the addiction problems go public, adding another problem to deal with in their life. The following athletes had it all: fame, money, but also addiction problems that escalated and went out of control. Give this post a read; it may clear up your ideas about addiction in athletes.

1. Vin Baker

Source: sbnation.com

You only need to take a look at Vin Baker’s career to notice when alcoholism started to take control over his life. After making it into four consecutive All-Star teams, Baker’s performance dropped all of a sudden. With Jim O’Brien (the coach of the Boston Celtics at the time) suspending him when smelling alcohol on Baker, his activity went into a continuous downfall. Even if he did go to rehab, the team released him the next season as he didn’t manage to follow the terms of the alcohol rehab program.

2. Jon “Bones” Jones

Source: maxim.com

During an out-of-competition drug test, Jones tested positive for an illegal substance. Even if the positive testing didn’t affect Jone’s game on the light-heavyweight UFC title, he did enroll in a rehab program. He only spent one night, but his mother talked about his decision to stay with the program longer. It seems that substance use was just a one-time thing, but we can only wait and see what happens.

3. Josh Hamilton

Source: nytimes.com

When it comes toJosh Hamilton, we’re both blown away by his incredible talent and his long history of illegal substance and alcohol use. He has tried to get back on track ever since 2001 and has been in and out of professional baseball for several years. 2008 marked a successful comeback, and Josh Hamilton even managed to achieve the MVP Award in 2010. Unfortunately, it didn’t take him long to return to substance abuse. His future in the MLB is on the fence, and nobody can say what lies ahead for sure.

4. Dock Ellis

Source: variety.com

When it comes to psychedelic substance abuse, Ellis may be the most famous athlete to name. The Pirates pitcher became an illegal substance and alcohol counselor once he retired. After spending 40 days in a rehab center in Arizona, Ellis realized that it’s going to be challenging to stay on track without any support. He also noticed that the majority of counselors have never been addicts as well. He was determined to become a coordinator at the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program of the California Institute for Behavioral Medicine. It was his way of helping himself and others dealing with addiction at some point in their life.

5. Darryl Strawberry

Source: latimes.com

His addiction altered his athletic career. Even if he has played for a long time and was successful too, the substance abuse did impact his performance and career. He went to rehab several times, but also violated the court-ordered treatment which put him in jail for almost a year.

Strawberry has been sober for more than ten years now and even opened multiple rehabilitation centers in order to pay it forward by helping people dealing with addiction.

6. Diego Maradona

Source: britannica.com

If there would be just one athlete to name when it comes to addiction, Maradona is probably the most well-known name out there. Not only that, substance abuse affected his life, but it also caused significant health problems. He ended up in rehab in 2004 once again, when the cardiac capacity was only 35%. He was forced to experience the most unpleasant withdrawal symptoms while in rehab. However, his ex-wife thinks that it was the best thing that could happen at the moment, saving his life.

Even Maradona admitted that using drugs altered his abilities on the pitch, expressing his regrets of failing to reach his maximum potential as an athlete on the cause of drugs.

7. Miguel Cabrera

Source: crainsdetroit.com

Even if Cabrera struggled with alcohol abuse, he has managed to find the will and power to overcome them. In 2009, he made a public appearance with scratches on the face from an early fight with the wife. His blood-alcohol was at a whopping .26. He went to rehab for three months, but it wasn’t enough for him to stay away from substance abuse. In 2011 he was arrested once more for drinking and driving. Maybe it was the last episode for Cabrera, who managed to win back-to-back MVP Awards ever since then. In 2012, he didn’t even attend the clubhouse celebration as he tried to remain committed to his sobriety.

8. Johnny Manziel

Source: ftw.usatoday.com

Due to intense partying and missing team activities, Manziel had to go to a rehab center for 28 days. It’s not sure if he’s still going to be with the Browns, which is why the team also signed the experienced Josh McCown. The coach Mike Pettine visited him while in rehab, admitting that the underlying cause of Manziel’s addiction is more severe than anticipated.

9. Lamar Odom

Source: businessinsider.com

When Odom got arrested for DUI, he realized that he had to go to rehab for dealing with his addiction. There are many reports about how his addiction affected the marriage to Khloe Kardashian, and the marriage ended up in divorce.

Odom did try to catch up with his career but failed to attend the workouts and to join the Summer League team of his club.

10. Dennis Rodman

Source: businessinsider.com

Denying you have an addiction is one of the main reasons for which you cannot heal from it. Dennis Rodman checked on his own into a rehab center for alcoholism, even though he publicly announced that he did not consider himself to be an alcoholic. He spent three weeks at the rehab center and promised to go back every six months for evaluation.

5 Must-Haves For Those Who Want To Be Like Elite Athletes

Published on

Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is averaging 25 points per game. Although a lot of NBA stars average more points than the “King,” he’s actually outscoring some of his younger counterparts. He’s also averaging 35 minutes per game, a feat that a lot of athletes at Lebron’s age are having trouble with.

Israel Adesanya is a Mixed Martial Arts fighter who is currently the reigning middleweight champion. MMA is a grueling sport that involves punches, kicks, and submissions. Israel Adesanya is by no means young at this point in his career. At age 30, you might mistake the “The Last Stylebender” to be 18 years old because of the way he fights.

Most of the time, average people like us love to have what Lebron James and Israel Adesanya have. The skills, strength, mental acuity, and health are just a few of their traits that everyone would love to have. You might argue that these people are “born” with their athleticism and talent. However, it’s undeniable that almost every pro athlete puts a lot of work and effort when they train.

As an average joe or jane, the most we can do is train and live healthily. With enough hard work, an average person can defy the odds and stand toe to toe with elite athletes. Although not on par with their skills, a person that’s fit, healthy, and ready can offer real competition.

Here are some tips on how you can perform like an elite athlete:

1. Food

Image source: oakvillegym.com

Food is essential for the body as it is fuel and used for a lot of bodily processes. Without food, a person goes hungry and eventually dies. In the world of sports, most athletes look at food with a more scientific approach. For example, NBA athletes have dietary restrictions that significantly improve the way they play basketball.

For most average janes and joes, the first problem they often encounter when wanting to play a sport is their weight. Food plays a crucial role in your weight. If you tend to eat more unhealthy food such as processed food, junk food, and food with high sugar, you’ll develop fat and make your body heavier.

On the other hand, if you opt for healthier options such as green leafy vegetables, lean meat, and fresh fruits, your body responds better. Instead of developing fat, your body becomes more muscular and more capable of making high impact moves, especially when playing sports. Balance is also essential when it comes to food. Eating healthier food and staying away from eating binges are crucial elements for you to have a more capable body.

Some doctors and trainers also recommend using health supplements. Most sites such as barbend.com have reviews on what supplements you should take to improve your health. Supplements are safe as they only contain specific nutrients and vitamins and won’t harm you as anabolic steroids do.

2. Water

Image source: yrmchealthconnect.org

You may see athletes on posters and advertisements holding a bottle of sports drinks. No matter how good companies say these drinks are, there is no substitute for water. Some people can survive for weeks without food, but they can’t survive for three days without water.

The body is made up of at least 60% of water. Water is also responsible for a lot of essential processes in the body. Avoid drinking too many sports drinks, as most of them have high sugar levels. Some beverages also have an excess of caffeine, taurine, and other chemicals that can elevate blood pressure.

3. Exercise

Image source: youtube.com

Going to the gym and working out is another critical factor in developing a healthy and robust body. When you’re participating in a physical sport such as boxing or football, your body is often subjected to tremendous amounts of physical punishment.

No average person can withstand a standard 3-minute boxing round. These sports are physically demanding and require those who want to excel in them to have healthy bodies.

Exercising and training your body to endure the physicality is the perfect way to attain success in the sporting world. Programs such as strength and conditioning also help an athlete stay healthy when doing sports. These programs focus on the durability of the muscle and enable athletes to perform at a high level without the risk of injury.

4. Sleep

Image source: bustle.com

When you work out, your muscles and other tissues inside the body often suffer micro-injuries. Sleep helps the body regenerate and fix micro damages that the body sustains during a game or match. Not only does sleep help heal the injuries, but it also strengthens muscles and allows them to grow.

Believe it or not, sleeping or resting is a crucial part of an athlete’s training program. Without sleep, muscles won’t develop and become weak. When this happens, the tissue shrinks and is often easy to injure. Aside from having a positive physical effect, sleeping also helps the mind relax.

Every athlete knows that going into a match with the right mindset is often the key to victory. If you miss sleep, you’ll perform terribly as both your mind and body are exhausted. Always get enough rest and ensure that the quality of your sleep is also decent.

5. Mental Health

Image source: forbes.com

As mentioned earlier, having the right mindset is a must-have for athletes who want to win. Having the right mindset is why most athletes should take care of their mental health as well. Sure, you might have the strength, speed, and ability to do something amazing, but without a sound mind, you won’t even have the power to get up from the bed.

To take care of your mind, allow yourself rest periods wherein you rest and reflect on yourself. Don’t do any training, just have fun, and focus on your objectives. Having a healthy mindset also benefits you even if you lost a match.

For athletes, losing is a hard thing. One great example of that is Ronda Rousey. After two straight knockout losses, Ronda quit MMA. Although she might have a lot of problems beforehand, strengthening your mind can help you avoid any adverse effects should you lose a game.

Takeaway

We can’t be like Lebron James or Israel Adesanya when it comes to excelling in their sport. However, we can train like them and perform close to their levels. Through training, having the right diet, exercising, sleeping, and taking care of your health, you can be one step closer to perform like an elite athlete.

15 Interesting Quotes by Conor McGregor

Published on

Conor McGregor is a world-famous MMA fighter, and one of the most recognizable athletes in modern sport. He was born on July 14, 1988, in Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland. In his decade long career, he has a record of 21 wins out of 25 matches, 18 of which by knockout. In addition, he has won and held numerous titles and belts. Outside of the sport, he is known as one of the most controversial and entertaining fighters to ever enter the octagon, or sport in general. Many fans and experts consider him the greatest MMA fighter ever, and one of the great success stories.

Img Source: cbsnews.com

McGregor really started from the bottom, while now, he is sitting at the top of the sport. As of this year, he has an estimated net worth of around $110 million. The MMA fighter has often talked about retirement, and it is newer 100% familiar whether or not he will fight again. In the meantime, here are some of the most popular and useful quotes by a great champion of the sport. These can really be the words to live by, and can make you a champion in your area of expertise!

Img Source: latimes.com

Conor McGregor Quotes:

“We’re not just here to take part. We’re here to take over.”

Img Source: espn.com

“Nothing good ever comes from worrying or sitting there feeling sorry for yourself… keep positive and keep pushing on and things will turn good.”

Img Source: cnbc.com

“Be grateful with everything you have and you will be successful in everything you do.”

Img Source: metro.co.uk

“I keep having vivid dreams of success. Then it’s time to sleep.”

Img Source: briffa.com

“It’s not really that much big of a deal – you brush it off and you come back. Defeat is the secret ingredient to success.”

Img Source: rte.ie

“Life is about improving and getting better.”

Img Source: rte.ie

“Doubt is only removed by action. If you’re not working then that’s where doubt comes in.”

Img Source: medium.com

“I was always a dreamer, and my first ambition was to be a footballer. I’d be out in the field doing drills after it got dark at night. So I had that passion to get somewhere and a drive to do something. I did love football and was always more into playing it than watching it. When I found combat sport, however, it just took over. It’s non-stop now.”