Rebecca Marino's off-court battle with depression
Canada's next big tennis star stepped away from her promising career due to mental health challenges - and was brave enough to talk about it.
Rebecca Marino was hailed as Canada's next big tennis star, but off the court she was suffering from a debilitating bout of depression and enduring a barrage of online attacks. She announced an indefinite hiatus early on in 2013, and confessed that even as her star rose she was going through a "dark time" in her life.
She joined Jian in February 2013 to chat about why she decided to "let people into [her] head," as well as her future as a mental health ambassador and a beacon for young people who struggle.
Marino adds that her coach was the one to notice that she wasn't doing well, and persuaded her to seek help.
"I felt so much better because someone could actually see that I was hurting," she said, adding that she credits him with saving her life. Now she's focused on moving forward.
"I want to be one of those people who can say, 'look, just because I have a mental illness does not mean I'm weak.'"
Original show aired February 27, 2013
Our friends at CBC Vancouver broadcast this report on Marino's decision when she stepped down in February 2013.
She joined Jian in February 2013 to chat about why she decided to "let people into [her] head," as well as her future as a mental health ambassador and a beacon for young people who struggle.
Marino adds that her coach was the one to notice that she wasn't doing well, and persuaded her to seek help.
"I felt so much better because someone could actually see that I was hurting," she said, adding that she credits him with saving her life. Now she's focused on moving forward.
"I want to be one of those people who can say, 'look, just because I have a mental illness does not mean I'm weak.'"
Original show aired February 27, 2013
Our friends at CBC Vancouver broadcast this report on Marino's decision when she stepped down in February 2013.