Mark Richardson - yes, the self-described "hard-ass, super confident, super successful international sportsperson" - once battled with anxiety.
As part of The Project's week on anxiety, The AM Show host and sports commentator opened up about his own mental health struggles and how he coped.
- What to do if your child is experiencing anxiety
- 'It feels like I'm about to die': Anxiety sufferers explain how it affects them
"About 10 years ago, I felt I was suffering from something... it wasn't depression."
Richardson said it was during his early days working in broadcasting when he had a lot on his plate that he began to feel overwhelmed.
"I had a lot of things going on in my life, and there was something wrong. Something wasn't right - and you just knew it, you just felt it."
Fortunately for him, he found a way to keep his anxiety at bay.
"For me, it was getting out and running - not just getting out and jogging, because then my mind would think and I wouldn't escape," he explained.
"I'd get out and run as hard as I could for roughly an hour, to really hurt myself."
He said putting himself in intense physical discomfort seemed to be the only way to clear his mind.
"All I could think about was the pain, the lungs burning, getting to the end of my run. It had this amazing uplifting feeling and then I could deal with things," Richardson recounted.
"I could sort of reset my day and go again."
Watch the full segment on The Project.
