Life After Football: The Effects of Repeated Concussions

I suffer from this with thousands of head injuries. I wanted to be the best football player ever. I started tackle at age 7 played every year to college. I can't manage a normal life, I am 34. I am getting worse. 22 years old the mental illnesses was diagnosed. No matter how good and simple I live my life I am getting worse. I was a quarterback that couldn't remember a play from the coach to a hundle. Coach in high school gave the wide recievers responsibility. Feels good that I'm not the only idiot. Doesn't change the frustration. I'm very damaged and very scared. Growing scared for me as I accept the truth by which is a new feeling because it was never about me. Scared for my loved ones because they never know what person I will wake up to be and them having to deal with my symptoms. I get it Junior Seau and Aaron Hernandez. Think about it everyday. Wish my sacrifice of my head and body paid millions for me and my family. I can't even hold a job at Taco Bell. Make millions but ur brain will be ruined. Us football players loved the game so much we forgot about ourselves. Don't ever hit ur head. Brain is to fragile.

I've suffered more than a few concussions due to violence and fighting on the streets, especially a experience where I was kicked repeatedly to the head while i was on the floor and I suffer with the same symptoms he speaks of, it's a hard thing to live with especially when you don't know what is happening. I always suffered with depression and issues with my character but after suffering concussions these problems worsened it's hard to speak of when you get them from fighting because basically it's my own fault but I was a troubled youth in the ghettos of California Los angeles, fighting is almost impossible to avoid in low income urban areas, but just as the speaker I share this comment incase anyone can benefit and learn from my mistakes

I played football from age 7 to age 20 in college. At about 35 I had to start taking meds for anxiety and depression. I often can't think of words that are very easy. Mynwife and friends finish my sentences. I sometimes can't control my attitude / mood. I am 50 now and hope that I have many more years to live. Not knowing the future and my mental health is my biggest worry.

I knew a guy who had played contact football from the age of 7-19. He started acting erratically in his 50s. He left his job, his wife, and put himself in over 60,000 in debt. He finally saw a neurologist. They diagnosed him with early onset dementia. His MRI showed significant dark matter in his frontal lobe. It was heartbreaking to see him make very unhealthy choices. One of which was not going to the emergency soon enough when he fell sick. He is no longer with us. His grieving family misses him every day.

Imagine all those hit drills we did In little league and high school for no reason

high school kids had scholarship offers as QB and pitcher. His uncle arranged for him to talk to retirees from both sport, and he, no surprise, chose baseball.

I love the game, played if from 7 to 14. My kid wants to play badly. I just can't allow it knowing what I know now. there is no technique that can make it safe, repeated collisions take a toll on the brain, period. That hit in his video is sickening...and I both delivered and received hits like that as a kid. No one was teaching anything correctly back then granted. But there is no safe way for your brain to play football.

Saw this 3 Years ago when he first said all this. Only 37K views. Sad this doesn't have more.

It's sad that my mom and dad dont understand that I have concussion issues and they say I didnt take any big hits because I've never been knocked out and that I'm just being a pussy and I'm telling them you think I wake up and decide to get anxious or depressed or angry so fast like c'mon I need some support from people who been through the shit like me because nobody fuckin understands

I have family that played in the league. A good friend that we think passed from a brain injury bc half of his skull was removed and I literally saw him leave no able to talk. A man among men 6'2 ish 250+ of incredible hulk stature!!! To a shell of a man. So I have someone that played in the nfl and is now being let's say we see something going on that's out of character and I'm searching for information on head injuries and GOOD SIR THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO TELL YOUR TRUTHS! YOUR EXPERIENCE..I WISH YOU THE BEST IN ALL YOUR EFFORTS TO CONTINUE ON THIS JOURNEY OF YOURS THIS VALUABLE INFORMATION IS NEEDED! AGAIN MANY BLESSINGS UPON YOU!!❤

You know you got a concussion when you feel the sound. That’s when you know you just fucked up

I am in tears listening to him tell my story. My ex would break walls with my head on a regular basis for 12 years . Thousands of concussions , I am so afraid of dying alone yng from the constant headaches & it’s terrifying to not know where you are or who your with or how you hot there . I was on the set of Bright vomiting from fear because I had no idea where I was or how I got there . I didn’t dare work for months .

100% got concussions as a kid playing sport

Things have changed so much into understanding the damage concussions can do . The first concussion I had was the worst and permanately damaged my neck as I went head over heels on a crosscheck I didnt see coming ( then again that's how they all are anyways ..lol) This is back in 1975 but when I got to the hospital the drs advice was for my mom to check on me every couple hours to see I'm breathing still . That was how a concussion was treated then and if I was conscious I'm sure the coach would have put me back in the game . I'm already showing neurological problems that they think are related to years of head trauma and I only wish I knew then what I know now .. The only reason cte , etc seems to be growing it's because people around my age suffered repeated concussions not knowing the risks . One thing I decided to do is found a hospital in Boston that specializes in concussions and I decided to donate my brain for research on concussions . Cant think of a better way to make lemonade out of lemons .

Dr Omalu said repetitive head impact is more dangerous meaning longer you play and get hit the higher chance of cte.

I'm 22 years old and have had 2 documented concussions and 8 others that were undocumented. The most significant one was when I was 6; it left me unconscious for several hours and I got admitted to the hospital. After that moderate tbi I would go on to make a complete recovery but from the age of 18 and onwards is when the rest of the concussions started happening. I am definitely not same person that I used to be. I process things slower, my memory is not as good, and I notice that I stutter more so than I ever did. I just really hope that these symptoms go away with time or ease down. For males the brain doesn't stop developing until 25 years old so hopefully that does some sort of recovery for me.

I'm still broken failing to help someone I loved with CTE. The pain we go through trying to help your pain. I hate football now. I hope money and fun doesnt forever trump the care for humans. Or atleast fully educate kids like they did with smoking cigs commercials and holes in their neck as reality not to scare anyone but to accept what your fun could lead to

Such a charming guy! Wow! I bet he successfully opened a few minds and hearts! Sports are great. Gets a man women ready to deal with the harder things in life but when we see a problem we've gotta improve or beloved sport. Such a charming guy! "We are not broken, just damaged." Brilliant! ♥️

I’ve had 13 serious concussions that I can remember, spanning from 4 years old to 30 something. Most occurred in my teens. Most of these were extreme blows to the head. I’m 47 now and noticing many effects which I assume stem from them. I’m very anti social and prefer isolation. I have what I call brain lock constantly. Just going blank. My coordination is jittery and I get tremors all over. I have a much harder time focusing on thoughts and memories. My memory is sporadic and vague, even from the day before. Not looking forward to getting older.

I’m 52 yr old male, I remember my first concision (strangely) at around age 8-9. I had many more after that, even before I started playing hockey and rugby for 20 years and throw in 10 years of martial arts and they all start to add up. I’d say I’ve had over 50. Maybe more…? Affects ur brain in ways u can’t understand, like getting mad at ur wife for bringing home groceries. (No joke) But I agree totally that kids do receive many, many undiagnosed concussions that get over looked. Sad