Tennis star and TV commentator Jelena Dokic has opened up on hitting rock bottom – and seeing a lightweight on the finish of the tunnel.
In a uncooked interview with The Australian Women’s Weeklythe 39-year-old has opened up a couple of tumultuous yr which noticed her break up from her associate of 18 years, Tim Bikic, and wrestle together with her psychological well being.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Jelena Dokic shares an replace on her psychological well being
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Dokic has been upfront about her psychological well being over time, giving her greater than 100,000 Instagram followers a candid perception into her struggles.
Now, single and residing alone for the primary time in her grownup life, Dokic stated 2022 has seen her undergo some extremely darkish instances.
Viral footage circulating earlier this yr of a 14-year-old Chinese language tennis participant being verbally and bodily abused by her father and coach took Dokic right back to her own youthwhen she was abused by her personal father, Damir Dokic.
The true depth of her trauma was revealed in her 2017 memoir, Unbreakable.
However Dokic’s relationship breakup firstly of this yr knocked her for six differently.
“We did not struggle, we have no arduous emotions, however it was a shock,” Dokic stated of the top of her relationship with Bikic.
“We might been collectively for a really very long time, virtually 19 years – since we had been 20 – so it is at all times powerful when one thing like that involves an finish.”
Saying she would “at all times love him,” Dokic stated Bikic had been there for her in her “lowest moments.”
“I am undecided I’d be right here right this moment if it wasn’t for him,” she added.
“However I feel when you finish a relationship that is that lengthy it is virtually like a grieving course of, as a result of it ended fairly all of the sudden.”
Dokic threw herself into work, however she knew one thing wasn’t proper – and by April she was struggling with suicidal ideas.
“I had a low second and positively it wasn’t straightforward,” she stated.
“Even for a second there I felt like I had failed as a result of I used to be there [having these suicidal thoughts] again in 2006 and I felt like I’d by no means be there once more.”
However as a result of she had been there earlier than, Dokic knew precisely what to do – ask for, and settle for, assist.
“I feel the nice factor was from my previous experiences, I knew precisely what that feeling was and that I wanted to cease what I used to be doing and concentrate on myself,” she stated.
“And as a lot because it was a low second, I am actually proud that now six months later, I am doing so, so properly.”
Dokic surrounded herself together with her closest buddies and visited her mom in Croatia.
Then, in Australia, Dokic steadily started to regulate to life as a single girl.
“It is really made me understand that I am very robust,” she stated.
“I’ve to be trustworthy, I like to be in a relationship, to like somebody and be liked again, however I’ve realized that I will be alone.”
She stated it was necessary to divulge heart’s contents to others in case you are struggling mentally, and that there was no disgrace in doing so.
“For some time there after I was battling my psychological well being I did really feel like – ‘oof, the place do I am going from right here? How do I struggle? “How do I get out of this?” she stated.
“However there’s at all times a little bit of that optimism in me, and I attempt to move that on to different folks as properly.
“That is why I just like the saying: ‘There’s at all times a lightweight on the finish of a tunnel’.
“It is typically arduous to see however you have to maintain on to that, even via the darkest moments.”
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In case you want assist in a disaster, name Lifeline on 13 11 14. For additional details about despair contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or discuss to your GP, native well being skilled or somebody you belief.
