Those who have family support or loved ones in their corner are so much more likely to get through rehabilitation. They catch you when you fall off the cliff because you’ll fail a lot of times before you actually get better. Finding help was hard. I played footy and had a high profile. When I went to Gamblers Anonymous, everyone knew me. Then I found MyHab and, for me, it was a real awakening.

During rehabilitation, you are dealing with other people who are going through what you’re going through. You have group sessions where you can cry or laugh, and you do one-on-one work where you learn about yourself. You may think that you’re the worst person in the world but there’s always someone with greater problems than you.

I realised my behaviour, like a lot of addicts’, was linked to early trauma – my dad was killed in front of me when I was seven. We never dealt with it as a family. In fact, when my mum and sister came into MyHab for therapy, it was the first time we had talked about it together.

Later I found out that I might also have subconsciously tried to follow in my dad’s footsteps. He lost the equivalent of three homes through gambling. Traumatic life events can have big ramifications if you don’t deal with them. They are a source of pain and you are trying to numb that pain. The psychologist said to me it’s like an onion, every year you put another layer over it.

When I came out with my addiction, it wasn’t cool to stand up and admit guilt or show vulnerability. I was 1.93m and I played AFL. I was supposed to be infallible.

But when I finally got help the world became very clear and easy. The program gives you pathways. First going into recovery was just an awful couple of years but still the best. It taught me the worth of money and relationships. I also got the really shit people out of my life. The hangers-on and the punters.

It took me 12 years to clean up my debt, but I’ll always be an addict. I have coping mechanisms or roadblocks, in place, so I don’t go down the path of reusing. MyHab helps you understand what works for you. Programs are tailored individually – different programs for different people.

Straight away I had a rule with my wife that I didn’t carry credit cards or cash and I couldn’t borrow. Even if I needed money for petrol, I would ask. It took away temptation. I also have ‘phone a friend’, with three possible numbers if I’m in trouble.

Now I work with a lot of people, including sporting clubs, schools and corporates, telling my story and explaining what works for me. I try to show people how putting your hand up and asking for help can change your life. I hope I empower them to get off their arse and do something about their addiction.

I’ve put a lot of other addicts through the MyHab program. What they do and how they go about rehabilitating people is based on decades of experience and dedication and it just works. A lot of the counsellors have been through the program and they understand what addicts do.

You learn why and how you are acting the way you are, and they give you the tools to deal with it. They also work with families to make sure they are not enabling your addiction behaviour. The overall approach is holistic. It’s about understanding the person first and foremost, and there’s also a great nutrition and fitness component. Being healthy is the greatest drug in the world.

For those who need it, there’s a financial component too. That can be a crucial part of an addict’s journey. When I left football, I still owed more than $1 million and it took me 12 years to work my way out of it. But it doesn’t help to look in the rear vision mirror. You have to look forward. You are never going to get that time or money back.