Kyren Wilson has revealed he needed to be picked up from the floor by his wife after suffering a breakdown, as the snooker star targets World Championship glory at the Crucible.
The 33-year-old secured glory in last year's competition, overcoming Jak Jones 18-14 in Sheffield.
Wilson has since gone from strength to strength, with the snooker star adding four ranking titles to his collection.
However, he's now revealed that he suffered a breakdown before last year's World Championship - and that his wife, Sophie, had to pick him up the floor.
Kyren Wilson makes heartbreaking admission about breakdown as snooker star targets World Championship gloryPA
Speaking to The Sun, he said: “I had a breakdown.
"My wife had to pick me up off the floor in my games room because I was just staring at the wall thinking, 'What is going on with my career? I don't understand. I'm putting the hours in… it's just not happening.'
“We wanted to try something new so gave Chris a try two weeks before the World Championships. I had nothing to lose.
“I've always felt I've had the capability of winning it but probably wouldn't have won it last year if it wasn't for Chris' help.
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“We started visualising kissing the trophy and lifting it in the air. During the final I've never felt so calm.
“I’ll never be able to compare anything to the pinch-me moment, the spine-tingling sensation when I made that happen. I can still see it now, it was just unbelievable.
“It's certainly a very powerful tool. You've seen a lot more of a natural style of snooker play from me since working with Chris. He is a massive addition to my team.”
Solution-focused hypnotherapist and psychotherapist Chris O’Connor has helped Wilson.
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Kyren Wilson will be hoping to win the World Snooker Championship for the second year in a row
PA
O'Connor focused on mental struggles including fears, phobias, anxiety, anger and depression.
And Wilson believes weekly Zoom meetings are helping him as he looks to win the World Championship for the second year in a row.
The snooker star continued: “Straight away, I felt really calm. My sleep improved dramatically.
“Something negative might have happened but Chris takes you straight to focus on the positives. You feel a load of weight come off your shoulders.
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“Keep that stress bucket empty and the world’s your oyster, you can handle potentially catastrophic things much better.
“I would catastrophise things in the past. Now I can be more level-headed and not let things blow up.
“Just listening to Chris' voice, I feel like I could go to sleep. No disrespect to him but every time I've spoken to him, I've just conked out!”
O'Sullivan, also speaking to the newspaper, elaborated on the techniques he uses to help his patients.
Kyren Wilson won the World Snooker Championship in 2024
PA
“We utilise the subconscious mind to make changes through activating our hypnosis which is a form of dreaming, a deep concentration, focus and relaxation.
“Trance work is like telling a good story, getting the client nice and relaxed, maybe take them on a beach or a tropical island.
“Usually my voice will drift in and out.
“They might see colours or shapes. They might feel heavy, stuck on the couch. They might feel like they're floating which is a really nice feeling. They might feel sensations of warmth or cold. It's different for every person.
“The sessions I do with Kyren are the same sessions I do with a six-year-old girl and a 90-year-old lady who are coming to see me. Hypnotherapy is universal."
