CROSS BRAVELY OPENS UP ON MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES

ROB CROSS has opened up on his long battle with his mental health after revealing he stopped taking medication before his World Darts Championship campaign. 

‘Voltage’ booked his place in round three at Ally Pally with a 3–1 victory over Ian White, averaging 91.71 and producing a classy 113 checkout on the way to victory. 

World No17 Cross admits the result came during a deeply personal period, as he spoke candidly about low moments, guilt and learning to accept himself.

The former world champ says his struggles pre-date his darts career and believes many players suffer in silence. 

He said: “I’ve stopped taking my tablets. I was on them because I felt low in life, like we all do. 

“I was too guilty to speak out for it, like we all do. 

“At the same time, I just stopped and I thought to myself I was best being mates with the person that’s inside, instead of trying to shut him off with no emotions. 

“That is the way I felt. I stopped them before I came and I feel okay. I feel great — it brings the hyperness out instead of trying to lock something away. 

“That is what they did to me. I’ve suffered with that for a long, long time before darts.  

“We all get low and we grow up thinking we should be stronger instead of weaker. You can’t show that side.

“That’s where I’m at. I’m guilty of not expressing myself to the people I trust with my own life.

“If I can’t talk to them, what chance have I got to go and do other stuff? 

“But what I would say is having good people around you — if you feel like that, you need to speak up, otherwise it will eat you up eventually. 

“Anyone out there that feels like that needs to find a good person to do the right thing for them.” 

Cross also spoke about living with ADHD and why seeking help was necessary at certain points in his life. 

He added: “Don’t get me wrong, with the ADHD side of things and everything else, it probably reached a point where I needed a bit of help. 

“That can be the right way to go because it helps you get through other things. 

“But it also cuts a few things out, and when you’re trying to be clear and give it your best, I think if I’d stayed on it I would have been out in the first round. 

“What has helped me more is having good people around me. 

“I think that’s made the biggest difference and helped get me back on track.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.