Former WWE Superstar Opens Up About Struggles With Anxiety And Depression

Former Raw and NXT superstar Big Cass (now caZXL) recently lost to fellow former WWE star Jon Moxley at an independent show. After the match, Cass revealed he has struggled with alcoholism and various mental health issues.

@JonMoxley HAS ANSWERED @BigCassWWE OPEN CHALLENGE pic.twitter.com/bjEDYxQkNs

— Franklin Myers (@FranklinMyers_) June 16, 2019

In an interview released to Diamond Dallas Page’s YouTube channel, Big Cass opened up about his struggles with anxiety and depression.

Being depressed is one thing. Having depression on a daily basis is something different. Anyone that looks at them like they’re weak or a crybaby or whatever, that person is ignorant. ‘Why is this person upset? He has money and everything he dreamed of.’ That don’t mean f***-all when you’re not well [mentally]. It’s hard to tell people about it because who knows what they are going to say. ‘You’re looking for attention. You have everything you ever wanted. You’re just seeking more attention.’ So, you don’t tell anyone. You keep it to yourself.”

Cass would go on to explain how things actually got worse for him after his main roster debut in 2016:

“TV [tapings] were the worst for me because of anxiety. It ramped up after [my WWE debut]. I always had it, but I tried to hide it, which is the worst thing you can do. I had no medication, I had no one to talk to, I didn’t seek him. I self-medicated with alcohol. I was so down that I was like, ‘I wish that I wouldn’t be alive today. I wish that I would not have woken up.’ But I had to go to work.”

Cass then referenced the junk food he was eating, the limit exercise he was doing and the amount he was drinking and smoking during his darkest days.

He also recalled an incident of him suffering a seizure at an independent show last year, and says he is surprised he is still alive:

“I don’t know how I’m alive today. The amount I was drinking, and the food I was putting into my body was ridiculous. No physical activity. Chain smoking cigarettes. When you’re making mistakes like that, you gotta go. [WWE] had every right in the world to get rid of me. Going into the [House of Hardcore] show, I literally had not slept in two days. Don’t remember walking through the curtain or going to the autograph table. [I] came to in the ambulance. I remember they told me I had a seizure. I took that as a sign from God. God spoke to me that day and was saying, ‘If you wanna live this life, you’re gonna end up dead.’ I could have died that night. That’s what I was told in the ER.”

Fortunately, it appears as if Cass is doing a lot better now. The former tag team partner of Enzo Amore seems healthy and happy once again.

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Thanks to Fightful for the transcription.

• depression
• Big Cass
• caZXL
• wwe

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