WADE ADMITS HE NEARLY WALKED AWAY FROM DARTS
23/08/2025 By Aaron Nijjar
JAMES WADE admits he came close to walking away from darts altogether after confessing it would have been “100% the best thing” for his mental health.
‘The Machine’ was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at 27-years-old.
World No. 5 Wade now represents the charity Bipolar UK as an ambassador – a role he has held since 2016.
Aldershot slinger Wade revealed he had struggled with the conditions pre-diagnosis.
He explained: “I’ve always been a little bit different – when I was younger I didn’t really fit in to social groups.
“I would do things to make people laugh or just act stupid.
“Sometimes I was a bit naughty – not in a bad way – but I didn’t know how to handle certain situations.”
10-times major winner Wade says he would like to do more to raise awareness of the condition when he eventually gets around to retirement.
He said: “Hopefully I’ve earned enough money from my job to be able to leave me under no pressure whatsoever, and I can just dedicate a lot of time to Bipolar UK and raise awareness of the condition.
“I was really, really fortunate when I was 27. I had the funds, so used private healthcare to go and get the help that I needed.
“Hopefully in years to come, there’ll be a better path for people with mental illness.”
Wade’s walk-on tune, Elton John’s I’m Still Standing, reflects how he battled through those darkest moments.
He added: “I could have walked away, which would have been the easy option, that’s for sure.
“It wouldn’t have been the best for me financially, but mentally, 100%, to walk away from the game with immediate effect would be definitely the best thing for me.
“My job is to financially support my family and give them a little bit more freedom.”
But Wade insists the sport has still given him so much to be thankful for.
He stated: “I’ve seen the world multiple times. I’ve been to places I’d never would have been. And I’ve met the most wonderful people through my job as well.”
Image by Taylor Lanning.
