Gary Goodridge opens up on horrors of living with brain trauma

By bjpenndotcom - January 9, 2016

As medical advances are made and more studies are conducted on fighters, the reality of brain damage sustained from repeated blows to the head is becoming scarier and scarier.

While this problem certainly stretches across sports other than MMA and boxing, there’s no denying the damage fighters sustain during the course of their careers.

In a sobering interview with Inside MMA, Gary Goodridge discussed what his life has been like for him living with CTE.

He spoke on Inside MMA

“I truly honestly believe that if it wasn’t for the pills that I’m taking, my life would have been done a long time ago. I would have taken my life, absolutely. Mental disability is a huge thing. It’s got me crippled.”

“My days suck. When I wake up, I feel like going back to bed.”

“I could get a job, then I’d forget I had a job.”

Goodridge’s specific form of degenerative CTE forced doctors to give him a rather harsh diagnosis.

He reflected on what they told him.

“‘it doesn’t get better. This is the best that you’ll be.'”