Danny Murphy has revealed he suffered from a cocaine addiction after retiring from football.
Murphy, 47, enjoyed an impressive Premier League career, playing for the likes of Liverpool, Charlton, Tottenham and Fulham in the top flight, while also winning nine caps for England.
After ending his career with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship in 2013, the former midfielder has since moved into punditry, regularly impressing on Match of the Day and is also a columnist for Mail Sport.
However, Murphy has heartbreakingly opened up about his struggles during the early stages of his retirement.
“I initially did certain things to get a strange buzz and high,” he told the Ben Heath podcast. ‘I think it was an accumulation of things, so I needed some escapism from reality. And reality faced problems.
Danny Murphy has revealed he suffered from a cocaine addiction after retiring from the game
Murphy, 47, enjoyed an impressive Premier League career, playing for the likes of Liverpool
The former midfielder opened up about his post-career struggles on the Ben Heath podcast
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‘This financial problem, tax bill, relationship. How do I deal with problems when I’m not playing football?
‘When you play football, the adrenaline and dopamine keep you moving forward and energetic, regardless of other things. These problems become enormous without football.
‘I was addicted to cocaine and smoking some weed. The drink, I could live without it. I was not an alcoholic. I could sit in a house with alcohol and not drink it.
‘I was (addicted to cocaine) for a while, yes. I got to the point where I thought I couldn’t do anything without it. That was nonsense, of course I could.
‘At first you can do it, you do it once a week, twice a week, an extra third day and eventually it builds up and takes hold of you.’
After the courageous confession, Murphy went on to explain how pursuing individual and group therapy, along with finding purpose in science, helped him overcome his problems.
He added: ‘You get some help and start to understand behavior and patterns. When I got help, I put myself around people who have been through it. I’ve done some therapy and group work.
‘The therapy was good. You have to participate, you have to be willing to go deep and not everyone is that way because in therapy you have to go through an emotional roller coaster.
‘Not everyone is like that, especially if you’ve had a traumatic life. And it (the whole process) has made me a better person.”
Murphy added that talking to people who had been through something similar helped him “get rid of the shame and guilt that came with his problems.”
Meanwhile, he also reflected on the much-discussed general problems of players after retirement, but emphasized that there is always a way out.
“I was probably in a world of hurt for a year,” Murphy continued. ‘The journey is never smooth, but I definitely think going through that year to 18 months from 2017 has made me a much better father.
“I’m a better son, brother, and I think I’ll be a better partner. I am more attentive to those who have had a hard time in life and I have the desire to become better.
Murphy made 249 appearances for Liverpool in seven years after joining from Crewe in 1997 before going on to play for the likes of Charlton, Tottenham, Fulham and Blackburn Rovers.
The former midfielder also won nine caps for England during his impressive time in the game
Murphy explained how therapy, combined with expert knowledge, helped him overcome his problems
“When I started in media, I had a sense of purpose because I wanted to be good at it, but it wasn’t the same highs. Two or three years later it dawned on me, while all kinds of things were going on.
‘It’s very common for ex-players to have these kinds of problems. I was surprised how many people reached out to me and I have lost the fear of talking about it and people judging me now.
“I’ve seen it personally: guys who have been in a really bad spot come through it and thrive again. That costs something.
“People have a lot of opinions about this stuff that haven’t been out there yet, but sometimes you do need some help and it’s okay to reach out if you do.”
