“There’s a lot of things we suppress…” How “The Way Back” Spotlights the Convergence of Mental Health and Sports
No matter what sport you may have played, whether as a youth, or even into adulthood, there is the mental aspect that requires a focus for success. What we don’t always realize -as fans- is the aspect of mental focus that causes inner pain. Athletes perform at the highest levels. With that expectation from themselves, team executives, and fans, comes a rush of emotions. Look at a team that has just won a championship; then, take look at the team that lost. Both are exhausted physically. The mental exhaustion may not be seen right away. But, it’s there. For some, it will have an affect for years ahead.
That’s why “The Way Back” is so important in telling a story of what the pressures of life, and the highest of expectations put on athletes, can do to someone mentally. (In full transparency, I was afforded the opportunity to see a screening of the film in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 28 and participate in a discussion afterwards on mental health as part of a #SameHere program. This post will not contain spoilers. Some references I make can be seen in the movie’s trailer.)
Academy Award winner Ben Affleck plays Jack Cunningham, a former high school basketball star who tossed his hoops’ scholarship and future away. Cunningham opens up as to why, saying:
My father didn’t like me very much. And when someone told him I was good at basketball, he paid a lot more attention to me. And I realized it wasn’t me that he loved, it was what I could do. I spent a lot of time hurting myself, trying to hurt my father. I never picked up the basketball again.
Since his high school days, Cunningham hurts himself as an alcoholic. Every waking moment involves drinking, whether it’s nightly at the local dive bar or in his home. He starts every day by drinking a beer while showering. Cunningham drinks to ease the pain of his life- its past and its present. One minute he is seen as the charming uncle to his sister’s children. The next, Cunningham snaps when questioned by his sister about his life in a private moment. He is suffering even when asked to coach his former high school basketball team.
Cunningham takes the job, but is still in pain. Alcohol continues as a daily routine, but he sobers up enough to coach. It appears being in the gym and leading the young players is helping him cope.
While the team is actually helping Cunningham and his drinking stops, it shows how shifting your mind to something else can really mask the true problem: Not getting help at all.
While the film has a sports focus, it’s what happened to Cunningham on court that affected his off court life. In fact, Affleck has admitted in several interviews in promoting “The Way Back” that his character parallels his own real-life struggles. The movie’s title and themes set the stage for a larger discussion about mental health.
Enter Eric Kussin.
As the founder of the Global Mental Health Alliance, “We’re All A Little Crazy,” Kussin understood the importance of mental health. Nearly four years ago, he quickly declined due to severe PTSD, anxiety and depression. On the outside, all appeared well; on the inside, it was anything but well. Years of mental trauma took its toll. When he began to heal by talking with experts and practitioners, Eric vowed to change the message and be an advocate for mental health. The #SameHere movement was started to share that no matter the place, we all “go through life’s inevitable challenges, and we should have a society where it is openly acceptable to talk about those challenges.”
Kussin and his alliance have participated in screenings of “The Way Back” across the country. It’s a way to discuss mental health and the themes shared in the film. While in Washington, D.C., Kussin lead one of these discussions. He was joined by former NFLer John Booty, who battles depression. Booty was candid, saying, “We don’t share our pain because we feel like a burden… there’s a lot of things we suppress.” He added, “We’re like Picassos on the playing field, but we are human beings.” While his story isn’t like Affleck’s character, Booty did remind everyone that mental problems are not always seen. “We don’t have a bandage over our eye. It’s inside our head,” he said.
Despite what appears to be a normalization of discussing mental health, there is still a stigma. A 2019 Mental Health Workplace Study by Teladoc Health showed that almost half of survey respondents said negative stigma about mental health still exists in their workplace. The study showed 82% of employees diagnosed with a mental health problem did not tell anyone at work about their issue. Even more striking, 55% of the respondents said the reason for not telling someone at work was fear that it would negatively impact their employment. The stigma is what Kussin, Booty, and many others say should be changing.
“The Way Back” provides a striking look at mental health and its impact in someone’s life. The sports setting allows Affleck’s character to find the potential for redemption. At its core, though, the story is about understanding how we are affected by the pain caused by life and career. That’s why mental health should be a priority for everyone. Now and in the future.
