"Counseling made me patient"

by S M March 10, 2009

"I've become more tolerant of the way I've got to live. That's the thing that used to frustrate me. (Counselling) really helped. I'll see it right through because it's been great for me," Andrew Symonds said.

"They didn't sit me down and tell me I was diagnosed with depression. But I was affected somehow. There was no piece of paper that said I had depression but I may have.

"A deliberate part of counselling is they don't sit there and try to destroy you with some computer read-out or way that they've analysed you," Symonds told 'Courier Mail'.

"These bushfires and this terrorism stuff towards the Sri Lankans, it puts things into perspective. Walking out there and scoring no runs is pretty unimportant if you have had your house burnt down and you have lost your family," said Symonds. "Things like that have helped me realise what's important in life." Symonds said.

"Yeah, there were days where I was drinking too much and binge drinking, using it as an excuse if I'd had a bad day or if something hadn't gone right.

"The answer for me is controlling it and knowing when to have a beer and what's appropriate. I believe I've done that well now," he said.