Western Bulldogs star Tom Boyd reveals ongoing battle with anxiety, panic attacks

Western Bulldogs star Tom Boyd has revealed his ongoing battle with mental illness and the devastating impact it has had on his AFL career.

Speaking to Nine News, Boyd explained the first time he experienced a panic attack.

“I suffer from quite severe panic attacks and I remember driving along the road in Port Melbourne and almost driving off the edge of the road thinking I was having a heart attack,” Boyd said.

“That was probably my first warning sign where I really started to realise that things were going poorly.

After being drafted with the first overall pick in the 2013 National AFL Draft by the GWS Giants, Boyd was traded to the Western Bulldogs in 2014 where he signed a seven-year, $7 million contract.

However, despite his on-field prospects looking more positive than ever, including a AFL Premiership in 2016, Boyd said his toughest off-field period occurred following his move back to Melbourne.

“For me it really started to spiral out of control when I just couldn’t get any enjoyment out of any part of my life,” he said.

Boyd’s anxiety led to panic attacks, which in turn led to insomnia, rendering him unable to play or train with the Bulldogs.

“With the insomnia I really wasn’t able to commit and play and it was kind of getting to where it was quite dangerous for me to be training and I just really wasn’t able to give my best on the weekend,” he said.

Boyd’s realisation that he was struggling with mental health issues resulted in him taking a break away from the game where he learnt coping mechanisms such as surfing and muscle relaxation as well as breathing techniques.

“The experiences that I’ve had, the tools that I’ve been able to develop have really helped me,” he said.

“They’ve really helped me get through the most difficult time in my life.”

With the 22-year-old having gone through his own battle, he has shifted his attention to helping other young Australians who may be struggling.

Boyd has partnered with Headspace to create awareness for mental health issues and to send a message that it’s okay to speak out.

“The beauty about Tom Boyd is that he speaks about his mental health challenges and how he’s got on top of it,” Headspace CEO Jason Trethowan told Nine News.

“The way in which Tom has gone about that and talking about the mental health elements has been incredibly inspirational for young people.”