Just paraphrasing what he said - sorry for the typos lol
Jonathan Hay
Was over medicated in ’06. Taking lithium, with a couple of other drugs. Took so many, forgot the names of the drugs. Lithium affected him in a head way - he was in a daze constantly. Felt like he'd lost his motor skills and coordination.
Sleeping tablets at Hawthorn – played the Saints and got 7 goals kicked on him. Stewed over it and lost sleep over it. Took medication that night and he was still awake at 4.00am. Decided this was pooh, and reached for his medication and took 3 or 4 down. Had a recovery session at 7.00 and managed to hide his condition. Was amazed he didn't drown given the state he was in.
Drugs in his younger years (19 – 21) he did a bit. He experimented with them, but not worth the aftermath of coming down from the drugs, especially when he found where his head was at.
Drugs are a huge problem.
At Kangas – first year, worst year of his life personally, going through the mental problems he was having. The constant media focus was hard to deal with.
Mental illness – was pretty much why he gave the game away.
Had some pretty dark days, and had some intense thought processes. When you’re at your worst you can’t get out of bed. He used to come home from training and lie on the couch, and couldn’t do simple things like unpacking his footy bag.
Tough at Kangas because he was going thru toughest time in his life. Didn’t want to come out and be public about his mental illness at all. Didn’t want his deepest darkest secret told to the whole of Australia.
Why did he come out last year - the club and him thought it was best to tell the public why he was having the year he was having and why his performance was so bad. Didn’t want to play, didn’t wanted to be out there. Hated every second and didn’t want to front up.
He did pick himself up off the ground after 2006, was in good shape mentally and physically, and wanted to have one more year where he could show that he could play, that he wasn’t a pooh player. Didn’t get the opportunity to do that.
Had a stalker for a while – hanging around his house in the early hours, going thru his bins, jumping onto internet sites pretending he was Jonathan Hay and sending gay guys over to his house. Got threats in the mail, rang the club and saying he was taking performance enhancing drugs, importing illicit drugs from Asia. Lasted about 5 years.
At this stage, he won’t play next year. Not going to waste other club’s time and money if he doesn’t think he’s got anything to offer. For him to play, he’d have to be at a pretty good place.
