Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has revealed he has been battling depression and anxiety for a long time.
Idman.Biz reports that the footballer explained that the reason he took a break was to get professional support and spend time with his family.
Araujo said that this was important from a moral point of view:
"I didn't take the break for nothing. I was able to work with professionals, be with my family, and that's exactly what I needed mentally. For a long time, maybe a year, a year and a half, I didn't feel good. I was trying to stay strong.
I'm one of those people who keep everything inside, but you have to understand that there are specialists who can help you. In some situations, they give you what you need to stay on your feet. To recover, I had to raise my hand and say that something was happening to me. For a year and a half I struggled with anxiety, which turned into depression, and I continued to play in that state. This does not help good performances, because a person does not feel comfortable".
It should be reminded that after the Champions League match against Chelsea, the defender missed seven matches of his team due to psychological reasons.