(Lily Ro)
Jay Glazer— the popular Fox NFL Sunday analyst, MMA coach and founder of MVP (Merging Vets and Players)—offers honest, in-your-face advice and insights gleaned from his struggle with depression and anxiety in his new book, “Unbreakable: How I Turned My Depression and Anxiety Into Motivation, and You Can Too.”
Check out Glazer’s top five tips for tackling anxiety and depression here:
Remember, You Aren’t Alone
“First off, you are OK and you damn sure aren’t alone. My first anxiety/panic attack happened in 2005 and I’ve had them every week since, which odd for me because I am great in chaos but I suck in calm.”
“In 2005, we didn’t really talk about anxiety or mental health yet, so I had to fight it alone because I didn’t know what exactly it was. Having talked openly about it and heard people open up to me about it, I absolutely guarantee there are people in damn near every room who have experienced [anxiety] on some level.”
The Universe Is Not Against You
“I always remind myself of this on a weekly basis—and I’m borrowing this from my therapist, Suzi—the universe wants to help us, not conspire against us. There are no magical creatures trying to bring the world crashing down upon us.”
Help Someone Out
“Do something for someone else right now. Nothing beats ‘The Gray’ (what I call depression and anxiety) or the stresses of everyday life like being of service to others.”
“It can be something simple, like texting a friend telling them you are checking up on them because you were thinking of them. Or something big, like singing up to volunteer your time. Be of service to others and then let it fill your soul and heart up a little.”
(Jay Glazer)
Hit the Gym
“Work out! Troy Aikman—the amazing Hall of Fame quarterback who works with us at NFL on Fox—recently said, ‘If we could put working out in pill form, it would be the greatest antidepressant on the planet.’”
“Now, here’s the thing: Stress, anxiety, depression…they absolutely exhaust you. Holy Schnikes, do I get that. It’s a daily grind for me. But no matter what, I force myself up off my couch or bed to train because I know how much it will build me up from the inside out, not the other way around.”
Laugh It Off
“Laugh and love yourself up (I know there are two answers in one here but that’s where my ADD flips me off.) ‘The Gray’ hates laughter, and laughter gets me to see streaks of blue. And yeah, love yourself up for battling the hard stuff you’ve already had to overcome. Be proud of your damn scars and love yourself up for them. You deserve it.”
