Maurer Instagram Post

[Big Al Orange]

I grew up with parents and relatives who didn't believe in it. Would tell you to suck it up or you are too soft.

Glad to see that there are some people who understand that it's just a human thing and nothing to feel shame about.

I grew up the same way you did Zaqhhh. I’m 64 now and I guess I’m getting soft in my old age but life’s experiences have changed me. It’s easy to be tough and mean when you think nothing can touch you. Those old timers you and I remember that had no empathy for anyone weaker than them were a sad lot indeed.

 

[Vol Main]

Maurer punched a good ticket coming to Tennessee. Hope he can lighten up enough to enjoy it. There are numerous things which help coming out of depression, but there's no switch for turning it off like a light bulb. I grew up depressed and got through it. Spending time on a bottom of the ocean was a good thing for me. It's a different world down there. The fish don't care about our bummers so they are cool to hang with. Also, there is a good energy in the water. Mountain streams have it, but the ocean got a lot.

 

[HalfullVol]

Normal is a setting on a washing machine.
I'm willing to bet quite a few of us have heard this and know what it means.

shouldn't need explaining

 

[T_Vol376]

I think I've mentioned this before in the end zone maybe. I had a good friend who struggled with depression. He came to my house one day excited about a new medicine he was given, I was thrilled for him. He left, went home, and killed himself. I've always felt guilty, like I should've seen something, or felt something was wrong. Can't imagine losing a sibling like you, cause I barely could handle it being a friend.

Oh my gosh that is heartbreaking - made me cry! I am so sorry your friend was taken by depression.

 

[T_Vol376]

Maurer punched a good ticket coming to Tennessee. Hope he can lighten up enough to enjoy it. There are numerous things which help coming out of depression, but there's no switch for turning it off like a light bulb. I grew up depressed and got through it. Spending time on a bottom of the ocean was a good thing for me. It's a different world down there. The fish don't care about our bummers so they are cool to hang with. Also, there is a good energy in the water. Mountain streams have it, but the ocean got a lot.

I get what you’re saying. Mountain time brings me such peace... would be good if Brian could get some, close as he is. Glad your ocean time helped with your depression!

 

[claimjumper steve]

You're a true Vol Brian. You helped the team when they needed it most. I've been through he depression thing and it's not fun. Don't be ashamed of it, get help and there's a lot of vol fans that got your back!

 

[ptcarter]

Social media can be brutal.

 

[EZE]

Thoughts and prayers go out to this young man. Let's support him and all of our guys all the time. Heck, let do that with everyone. You never know what someone is going through.

Amen! I hope he finds a lasting peace in his life.

 

[wmcovol]

He really needs some help beyond a phone call. A young man with this opportunity willing to throw it away needs intense professional help. He has an opportunity majority of kids his age can only dream of.

 

[StarRaider]

SIAP
Vols' Maurer planned suicide, seeking treatment

 

[wombat7477]

I think this shows real leadership and courage. Good qualities for a QB.

 

[ptcarter]

Releasing these pent up feelings to family and friends is a very good sign, however caution should be paramount. Depression can come back with a vengeance. His mental condition should still be treated as quite fragile.

 

[lexkyvol]

Well...... I suppose I don’t have to explain “why” any more. His Instagram post was a “to the point” synopsis of the reason I’m all in but in no way shape or form the detailed version I know from knowing him and the kind of kid he’s always been. So proud of him yet so hurt I couldn’t prevent those feelings.

Maybe he needs some time away from football to get things straight. Seems like its a bit too much for him at the moment. If he has the capabilities as you say, this could be what is distracting his performance.

 

[lexkyvol]

Releasing these pent up feelings to family and friends is a very good sign, however caution should be paramount. Depression can come back with a vengeance. His mental condition should still be treated as quite fragile.

Yep, and QB for Tenn should be one of the last things on his mind right now because opponents and their fans, then our own fanbase aint gonna care if or when he struggles. He needs some time to heal.

 

[LucidZ]

Social media can be brutal.

Yeah, I'd say to that point that it's often best to bring up your mental issues with people you know and who you know love you. Or a psychologist one. I've actually refrained from speaking about my issues on the internet much anymore, because sadly enough people hold a stigma against it still. If I talk about it online, I'm often met with indifference or people who just rather be rude to me about it. I'm only talking about it now because it's the topic at hand. Otherwise I try not to. I've been dealing with it since I was about 12. Only recently, about 8 months ago, have I actually started to medicate. I'm getting better, but having dealt with it for so long...it's difficult still to pick the pieces back up and actually lead a meaningful life. I had bad social anxiety and depression. To where I pretty much isolated myself from society. Not staying in touch with friends or family like I should I have. Not taking care of my health. That's how bad it got.

 

[1vol8]

Maybe he needs some time away from football to get things straight. Seems like its a bit too much for him at the moment. If he has the capabilities as you say, this could be what is distracting his performance.[/

Some people “get away” by going to the beach. Others, the mountains. What most don’t understand is his “get away” IS football. That was taken away via injury, not performance.

Also let me remind anyone that assumes that he was referring to his current state of mind that his story was set in “past tense” and told as a means to help others NOW.

 

[1vol8]

@lexkyvol . Click the expand on quote 91. Bad connection

 

[VolFaninFla]

Question to those who have struggled with depression. Did you notice these symptoms in yourselves?

 

[Buddy’s Bandit]

I battle it everyday and know exactly where he is coming from.

Praying for you....know there are a lot of people who care.

 

[ptcarter]

Yeah, I'd say to that point that it's often best to bring up your mental issues with people you know and who you know love you. Or a psychologist one. I've actually refrained from speaking about my issues on the internet much anymore, because sadly enough people hold a stigma against it still. If I talk about it online, I'm often met with indifference or people who just rather be rude to me about it. I'm only talking about it now because it's the topic at hand. Otherwise I try not to. I've been dealing with it since I was about 12. Only recently, about 8 months ago, have I actually started to medicate. I'm getting better, but having dealt with it for so long...it's difficult still to pick the pieces back up and actually lead a meaningful life. I had bad social anxiety and depression. To where I pretty much isolated myself from society. Not staying in touch with friends or family like I should I have. Not taking care of my health. That's how bad it got.

At the age I am -63, I didn't have social media stresses that it seems my kids have. Actually, I have a pretty good ability to compartmentalize things and stay focused with the business of keeping afloat. I shared an office with a fellow back in the '80s - we were contractors down at KSC and NASA stuck the both of us in a space about the size of Cadillac.
He was a Vietnam vet, one who had been hit with friendly fire (naplam) and his ears were burned off and he was badly scarred on his arms. Took us a year to actually have a friendly conversation - he was very terse. Once we got to talking he warmed up a little and one night, to my surprise - he said he was cooking a pot of gumbo and asked if I wanted to come over. I did and we became pretty good friends.

The thing about him though - he had an bit of an attitude, maybe call it a wall around his personality. It seemed nothing could rattle him. NASA had a beef with some of his work one day and one of the bosses stuck his head in the door and said there was a meeting about to start and they wanted him in it. After the door was shut - He looked at me and smiled and said "If they are going to chew on my ass, all they can get is scar tissue". That saying stuck with me - we all want to be thought of fondly and have praise heaped on us, but we are also all human, and if you are around long enough - you'll get your feelings hurt - happens to the best. I am trying to tie this back to social media - I always think of the way that guy went into the meeting knowing it was going to be awkward and perhaps ugly, but (outwardly anyway) he didn't seem to let it affect him. I've gotten some mileage out of that saying too - Go in, take your lumps and get on with life. And if someone can't quite get past it, or keeps dogging you on something (call it bullying?), that person needs to not be in your circle if you can help it. These things can be hard - but I think there is also a bit of truth to "people treat you the way you allow them to". Easier sad than done, right and it's not one size fits all.

Anyway, not exactly sure what your struggles are. I had trouble understanding my little brothers struggles (see earlier post in this thread). It's difficult to step into someones shoes and see exactly what they see and from what their vantage point is. Whatever it is, I hope you can do whatever it takes to get back into a mode of enjoying life - it's precious. Maybe the simple things, like watching the VOLS can help! I wish you the best of luck.

 

[LucidZ]

Question to those who have struggled with depression. Did you notice these symptoms in yourselves?

Yeah, I would say that's an accurate list. I've dealt with all 5 of those. I could go in depth, but like I said in my previous post I tend to talk in less detail about it online. Mostly cause I've had a lot of bad experiences sharing it in such an impersonal way to any stranger who bothers to read it. Not all of them understand or wish you well. I would have a lot to say about it though, since I have dealt with both depression and anxiety...isolating myself a lot...I tend to be a better writer than a speaker.

 

[LucidZ]

At the age I am -63, I didn't have social media stresses that it seems my kids have. Actually, I have a pretty good ability to compartmentalize things and stay focused with the business of keeping afloat. I shared an office with a fellow back in the '80s - we were contractors down at KSC and NASA stuck the both of us in a space about the size of Cadillac.
He was a Vietnam vet, one who had been hit with friendly fire (naplam) and his ears were burned off and he was badly scarred on his arms. Took us a year to actually have a friendly conversation - he was very terse. Once we got to talking he warmed up a little and one night, to my surprise - he said he was cooking a pot of gumbo and asked if I wanted to come over. I did and we became pretty good friends.

The thing about him though - he had an bit of an attitude, maybe call it a wall around his personality. It seemed nothing could rattle him. NASA had a beef with some of his work one day and one of the bosses stuck his head in the door and said there was a meeting about to start and they wanted him in it. After the door was shut - He looked at me and smiled and said "If they are going to chew on my ass, all they can get is scar tissue". That saying stuck with me - we all want to be thought of fondly and have praise heaped on us, but we are also all human, and if you are around long enough - you'll get your feelings hurt - happens to the best. I am trying to tie this back to social media - I always think of the way that guy went into the meeting knowing it was going to be awkward and perhaps ugly, but (outwardly anyway) he didn't seem to let it affect him. I've gotten some mileage out of that saying too - Go in, take your lumps and get on with life. And if someone can't quite get past it, or keeps dogging you on something (call it bullying?), that person needs to not be in your circle if you can help it. These things can be hard - but I think there is also a bit of truth to "people treat you the way you allow them to". Easier sad than done, right and it's not one size fits all.

Anyway, not exactly sure what your struggles are. I had trouble understanding my little brothers struggles (see earlier post in this thread). It's difficult to step into someones shoes and see exactly what they see and from what their vantage point is. Whatever it is, I hope you can do whatever it takes to get back into a mode of enjoying life - it's precious. Maybe the simple things, like watching the VOLS can help! I wish you the best of luck.

Thank you for sharing that. There are some days I feel kinda like he does. A sort of "come what may" attitude. I would say it's a different time for me, having grown up in the digital age. Where there are so many opinions and thoughts, information, coming at you or anyone else with great volume. We see this in how quickly word spreads now or how fast news spreads thanks to the internet. It makes it difficult to parse the information, because there is so much of it...all at once practically. Leaving you to figure out what is truth and what is b.s.

I wish I was more like that guy, where nothing really affected me. But instead, I became someone who cared too much about what others thought. That's what both fueled my anxiety and depression. Maybe I'd be able to manage it better if it were just coming at me in person, but now you also have to deal with it from people online as well.

I'm in my early 30's myself. I will say I feel like it started early in my life, when I was around 12. Which is when my parents got a divorce. I still remember the day my father told me they were going to get a divorce. I was crushed. And after that I was back and forth living with them. These days I understand just how important I feel it is to have a stable home and both parents around. I thought I was fine before that happened. I was a lot more talkative and I was really active, played a lot of sports back then. Then things sort of compounded as I went into high school. Didn't feel like I fit in with anybody and since I was kind of an outcast, some people noticed that and thought I was weird. I had some people even threaten me, saying they would kill me. Stuff like that. And it just really stuck in my head the things people would say to me.

Anyway, I think I'll end it there. Sharing everything about my life on some message boards I don't feel so good about. But thank you for your kind words. Doing things like listening to music, being a part of music...and things like watching the Vols...do kinda take my mind off things. Though I can't remember the last time I ever actually went to see them play in person because of this.

 

[lexkyvol]

i get what ur saying, but this was just Jan 22nd. He needs far more time than this.

 

[ptcarter]

Thank you for sharing that. There are some days I feel kinda like he does. A sort of "come what may" attitude. I would say it's a different time for me, having grown up in the digital age. Where there are so many opinions and thoughts, information, coming at you or anyone else with great volume. We see this in how quickly word spreads now or how fast news spreads thanks to the internet. It makes it difficult to parse the information, because there is so much of it...all at once practically. Leaving you to figure out what is truth and what is b.s.

I wish I was more like that guy, where nothing really affected me. But instead, I became someone who cared too much about what others thought. That's what both fueled my anxiety and depression. Maybe I'd be able to manage it better if it were just coming at me in person, but now you also have to deal with it from people online as well.

I'm in my early 30's myself. I will say I feel like it started early in my life, when I was around 12. Which is when my parents got a divorce. I still remember the day my father told me they were going to get a divorce. I was crushed. And after that I was back and forth living with them. These days I understand just how important I feel it is to have a stable home and both parents around. I thought I was fine before that happened. I was a lot more talkative and I was really active, played a lot of sports back then. Then things sort of compounded as I went into high school. Didn't feel like I fit in with anybody and since I was kind of an outcast, some people noticed that and thought I was weird. I had some people even threaten me, saying they would kill me. Stuff like that. And it just really stuck in my head the things people would say to me.

Anyway, I think I'll end it there. Sharing everything about my life on some message boards I don't feel so good about. But thank you for your kind words. Doing things like listening to music, being a part of music...and things like watching the Vols...do kinda take my mind off things. Though I can't remember the last time I ever actually went to see them play in person because of this.

I agree.. these message boards are really not the place too get to personal. I will share one thing that has helped me considerable though. I had a lot of anxiety about politics - I would DVR news shows and watch them every night. About 2 years ago, I decided to "cut the cord" on TV. I still have it, but don't have the ability to DVR anything. I found - with the DVR, I had so many movies and shows queued up to watch that I spent a lot of time watching TV. Without it, I rarely turn on my set - and a break from the news has allowed me to spend more time focusing on hobbies - youtube is full of things that are more interesting than the news. Just the other day, I watched these guys remove yellow jackets nests from a wall or barn or even a hole in the ground. I found it fascinating - and watched a dozen guys fight hornets. Point is, I think it's unhealthy to worry about things, like politics, that our outside of your control, or "sphere of influence". Wasted energy. Sure, I have an opinion on what is going on, but there is very little I can really do to shift winds, except vote, which I do.

Also, I quit going to facebook except for about 15 minutes a month, just to see some pictures of nieces and nephews. I don't have the bandwidth to look at a picture of the steak somebody ate a week ago on vacation. Have considered turning facebook off all together, but I still have it. Anyway, just saying you don't have to be so "online". I'd say Volnation is my biggest online vice by far.

 

[1vol8]

i get what ur saying, but this was just Jan 22nd. He needs far more time than this.

I disagree..... On Jan 22 the season had just ended and his last 2 performances were not up to his standards (Kentucky/Indiana). Regardless of how some feel, prior to those two games he was easily performing well enough to overtake JG for 2020. For some reason Pruitt didn’t allow him time in those two games to settle back inTo the speed of the game post injury. The result of that is exactly what we see now. A majority of the fan base doesn’t include him in the conversation of possible starting QBs. A lot of people question his abilities overall. And HB is considered the favorite based on rank alone. As a 19 yo kid it’s easy to understand how that can seem impossible odds. And that’s just the football side of it. The personal side is much deeper than any written word can express and it’s not in my freedom to attempt it. Competition is his escape. Football is his his life. He needs it like we need beaches and mountains.