Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland says he has everything he wants in life, but still struggles with mental health issues and thoughts of harming other people.
Despite openly admitting he has unresolved childhood trauma, Strickland (28-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC) doesn’t believe therapy will help get him to a better mental state.
“The problem with therapy, I think they would just convince me to like f*cking start killing everybody,” Strickland said at a recent pre-fight news conference.
Well aware of his mental trauma and the effects it may have on his daily life, Strickland still balks at receiving help. As a result, he often goes down dark paths, especially with a microphone in his hand during UFC fight week media obligations.
Before UFC 297, Strickland went on an unhinged anti-LGBTQ rant after a reporter asked him about a previous statement when he said that having a gay son would mean he failed as a father. All while wearing a t-shirt that read, “A woman in every kitchen, a gun in every hand.” In no other major sport would that fly, but the UFC offers a unique space for fighters to say what they want without repercussion, for better or worse.
Fighting is a valuable outlet that helps Strickland exorcise his demons. He spars a lot in the gym, more than most of his peers. Typically, he’s getting his energy out against other pro fighters, but there’s also that time he recently went too hard on streaming influencer Sneako.
“Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose,” he wrote about battling demons in the caption of a video posted to Instagram on Monday. In that video, Strickland revealed how dark his thoughts can sometimes get. Despite reaching the peak of his division as a UFC champion and all of the money that comes along with headlining multiple events throughout his career, Strickland admits the mental fight is an ongoing daily struggle.
“All week I’ve been fcked up, dude,” Strickland started. “I’ve been on the Twitter saying crazy sht, just fcking spiraling. I woke up and I told my girl, I was like, ‘Babe, I feel like I’m a danger to people. Like I don’t feel like I should be out in the world.’ And I think that – I have everything. I’m rich, I’m famous, I have everything I ever fcking wanted and I am still mentally unwell. I get in these mindsets to where like I want to burn everything down in the world. Like, I want to have nothing, so I can just f*cking lose it and just take out everything on people.
“I think that you guys, in a weird way, are like my family. Like I’ve shared some sht with you guys, and you guys have shared some sht with me. I feel more connected with my fans than I think most people feel just because we’ve gone through a lot together. I have everything I want, and I still struggle with mental health. My memory is so short that, like, when I go out into this week, I think to myself, like once I get past it, I think to myself, like, ‘Oh, man. That was a really rough time in my life.’ But then when I really think about it, this happens multiple times a month, every month.”
Strickland continued:
“Again, I don’t know why I’m telling you guys this. I’ve just been kind of going through some sht. I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I’m going to go train right now and try to hurt all of my friends, and all of the demons will go away. I just want you guys to know that I have everything I could ever want in the world, and I still struggle. So, whatever you guys are going through man, hope y’all feel better. Go to the gym, train. Fcking wish you all the best.”
The problem with Therapy or Seeking Professional Help is that it’s exactly like College or University.
It can help you achieve greater success in life but it’s definitely not for everybody. I really wish people could understand this.
Probably True
His opinion on therapy is egotistical nonsense. I avoided therapy my whole life because of such egotistical nonsense. My decision to avoid help throughout my whole life ruined relationships and wreaked emotional havoc on others. You cannot will mental illness away.
The maniac posted some controversial tweets! Call the cops this lunatic should be behind bars.
Strickland pops a wheelie on his motorcycle in a residential area and acts like he’s Butch Cassidy. Real crazy guys like Mayhem Miller have police records a mile long.
Go figure that the UGs new “Patriotic” hero who “says what alot of people really think”, is an admitted mentally unstable individual 
“ Before UFC 297, Strickland went on an unhinged anti-LGBTQ rant after a reporter asked him about a previous statement when he said that having a gay son would mean he failed as a father. All while wearing a t-shirt that read, “A woman in every kitchen, a gun in every hand.” In no other major sport would that fly, but the UFC offers a unique space for fighters to say what they want without repercussion, for better or worse.”
Strickland spoke the truth about the rainbow people. Nothing “unhinged” about it. Actually it was quite based. Stopped reading right there.
God I wish this guy would shut up
Strickland: “I have devastating power”.
What’s his criminal record? The guy just likes to fantasise. “I’m about to do it, I’m about to do it”.
The more Strickland talks the more he reveals that he’s an idiot. He should stay off the social media.
And his girlfriend is the last person he should be telling that to.
First, if she actually believes any of that bullshit, he is putting an unnecessary emotional strain on her. Second, look at what he is communicating to her. He is telling her that he is not stable, not reliable, not dependable. That’s the last thing you want to communicate to your woman.
Check this video of Nina and Laura Skanko. The moment Nina got asked about who she would hire to babysit, she immediately eliminated her “buddy” Strickland. They are just joking around but it still clearly shows what she thinks. She knows Strickland is not reliable. Colby on the other hand, despite all his bullshit, is. And if you think about it, her choice is correct. This is the level of analysis women go into. They are masters of relationships.
Generally, I don’t believe in therapy. I believe in the action plan. Everybody intrinsically knows what they need to do, but they procrastinate through therapy. What will it do for you? You complain and cry to the therapist, who does not give a fuck and waste of a lot of money. But what is the outcome of it?
Do not complain and do not be negative. Even if you are not feeling well. Nobody likes to be around weak people who are a drain. Do not communicate weakness, unreliability, instability, not dependability as a man. And this is very important, never show panic and never be hysterical. Showing your weakness has very few upsides, maybe you get a few pity points, but it marks you as a liability.
You can show momentary weakness only in very specific cases.
As soon as I saw the title I knew it was a Strickland quote lol. 
He talks like every edgy, “crazy” suburban kid who listened to Slipknot in high school lol.
You sound like you were born in the 1930s.
Strickland has become what he hates. An attention whore.
Either go to therapy and help yourself or shut the fuck up and repress shit like everyone else.
Such a bitch.
Always on social media either telling everyone how tough he his or crying about how emotionally fragile he is.
Be a man Sean. Shut the fuck up and evolve.
He honestly just needs to chill out calm down it’s not that big of A deal. Yes, I’m sure he went through some shit as A kid but time to grow up and move on shit happens have to be a man suck it up and move on.
People harp on the past entirely too much and use that as an excuse for their behavior.
Me being born in 1930s does not mean I am wrong though.
Human core, the foundation, has not changed for thousands of years. It’s still the same.
Imagine freezing 12000 years ago waiting for a mammoth to pass by to hunt it and someone is complaining and bitching endlessly.
I am a massive internalizer. Bury it all.
I’m not different than you in that sense. I know it’s not healthy though and therapy can be beneficial but it is what it is. Hold it in!
This, you do have to find the “right” person for you, and its a process but its worth it
I knew you were dumb as rocks… but damn I didn’t know you were this fucking dumb.