According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the rate of suicide among athletes from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) doubled between 2002 and 2022. Interestingly, the percentage doubled from the first 10 years of the study (7.6%) to the second (15.3%). Suicide was the cause of death for 128 of 1,102 college athletes over the entire the 20-year time span.
Earlier this month, Major League Baseball (MLB) player Jarren Duran opened up about a past suicide attempt. The Boston Red Sox center fielder said in a Netflix documentary that the decision "wasn't easy, but it felt important." He hopes his transparency will help others battling mental health issues.
Depression and loneliness
American Family News spoke to Nathan Corbett, who held 11 Muay Thai world titles in three weight-divisions between 2003 and 2013. Also known as Thai boxing, the martial art combines punches, kicks, knee strikes, elbow strikes, and clinching.
Despite years of success, Corbett really began to struggle mentally after leaving the ring in 2014. Roughly a decade ago, “the man with the golden elbows” went public with his struggles of debilitating depression.
He describes his life as being on the verge of collapse and wondering about the direction his life was taking. For the champion kickboxer, it resulted in feeling isolated, like he was the only one going through such an experience. And while he had been introduced to Christianity nearly two decades ago, he traveled his own path in the years to follow.
Feelings of unfulfillment followed, until less than a year ago when Corbett began searching for, and exploring, multiple resources concerning the biblical concept of spiritual warfare.
Referencing John 10:10 and 1 Peter 5:8, Corbett shared that one of the most important lessons he’s learned is that Satan, “like a roaming lion looking for someone he can devour,” wants people to feel isolated.
“The devil's job is to try and seek, destroy, and kill you; and he’s always looking for someone [who is] feeling dark and alone, waiting for someone weak to break away from the herd – and that’s when he attacks,” he shared.
Protection and wholeness
That is why Corbett encourages other believers to stay connected to people, ask for prayer, and realize they are not alone in the battle.
“The warfare that we individually go through mentally – whether it’s a hindering heaviness that just never really lets you live to the fullest of your capabilities and abilities, or something that’s trying to drive you to the point of suicide – has a spiritual dimension,” he said.
“Some people can talk about depression and suicide coming from things like a loss of identity, a chemical imbalance, or even hereditary disease,” he points out. “While I’m not discounting any of those things, I believe a massive contributor or cause [of depression and suicide] is something spiritual.”
While Corbett admits there is the need for a clinical or medical path to address depression and suicidal thoughts, “a person’s wounded or fractured soul that needs healing comes through the direction of the Holy Spirit and through Jesus,” he argued.
“Demonic forces are real,” Corbett noted. “It's not always about someone being demon possessed on the inside, but about attacks and torment coming from the outside, like darts persistently shooting at our feelings and emotions trying to wear us down.”
“These attacks can take a person off track, taking away feelings of self-worth, instilling fear, or thoughts that you’re not living up to the fullness you were meant to live up to.”
He encourages his fellow believers to put on the armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6:13-18. “With an enemy who’s constantly on the attack and looking for someone to torment,” he said, “this is how we have hope and a chance to live to the fullest, without being hindered by the devil.”
Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis, please reach out immediately to a pastor, family member, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
