Fremantle star Nathan O’Driscoll took to social media to open up about his mental health struggles.

In the heartbreaking post, the 23-year-old told of how he came ‘extremely close’ to taking his own life on multiple occasions.

His open and honest confession received an outpouring of support in the comments section.

O’Driscoll was originally drafted 27th overall in the 2020 national draft, making his debut for Fremantle in 2022.

He has gone on to play 40 times for the Dockers and signed a contract extension in 2024 that will keep him at the team until the end of this season.

O’Driscoll credited the recent focus on mental health in the AFL as the inspiration behind his incredibly brave post.

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Nathan O’Driscoll took to Instagram sharing a heartbreaking message detailing his struggles with his mental health

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Nathan’s sister Emma (right) expressed her love for her brother in a comment under the post

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Nathan (right) opened up about contemplating suicide many times in his life

In the post on Instagram, he wrote, ‘I wasn’t going to post this, but with the recent focus on mental health around the league, it feels like the right time…

‘Over the past four years, I’ve had some incredible highs, but also some very low moments.

‘I’ve struggled with anxiety, a constant need to feel like I belong, and always putting others before myself.

‘There have been times where I’ve fallen into deep depressive states and three separate times where I’ve been extremely close to committing suicide.

I’m sharing this because speaking up matters. No one is there to judge you, every person I’ve opened up to has supported me in ways I never expected.

‘From the outside, it might look like I have everything, but what’s going on internally can be a very different story.

‘Everyone is dealing with something, and it’s okay to not be okay.

‘I’ve always tried to be a positive, selfless person, but I’ve learned it’s okay to put yourself first sometimes. Valuing yourself is just as important as valuing others.

‘The past few weeks have been especially tough after losing someone close to me, but leaning on my family, friends, and teammates has meant everything.

‘I’m incredibly grateful for the people around me.

‘There is so much good in this world. Whatever you’re going through, it will get better. Reach out, stay connected, and be kind to yourself.

‘You are loved.

‘You are seen.

‘You are heard.

‘Much love,

‘Nath.’

His sister, who plays for the Fremantle Dockers women’s team, was among those who expressed their love and respect for Nathan in the comments.

‘Proud of who you are (as a person first, always)!’ she wrote.

‘We are here to support you and make a change in this space so others feel as safe and as brave as you to speak up.’

She was joined in the comments by their brother Aiden, who commented, ‘We all love you Nath.

‘I’ll always be here for you, the best big brother anyone could ask for.

‘You’re such a good person bro.’

 Dockers general manager Joe Brierty also said he was ‘incredibly proud’ of O’Driscoll for opening up about his struggles

‘We are incredibly proud of Nathan for speaking so openly today about his mental health,’ Brierty said.

‘This is a struggle many in our society deal with daily, and often silently, so it’s an important conversation as our industry continues to evolve the mental health framework in place to support our people.

‘While football is a high-performance environment, our priority will always be supporting our people.

‘Our mental health and well-being team will continue to work very closely with Nathan to provide him with the support that he needs, while he also receives strong support from his family, friends, teammates and the broader club.’

O’Driscoll’s post comes in the wake of Elijah Hollands’ mental health episode just two weeks ago.