Jonjo Shelvey has recently opened up about a difficult period in his career when he became addicted to sleeping pills while playing in Turkey. The English midfielder, who joined Çaykur Rizespor in 2023, spoke about his struggles on the UndrTheCosh podcast.
Shelvey explained that the loneliness of moving to a new country and the cultural differences led him to take the medication out of boredom. However, it soon became a serious problem and affected his relationship with his family.
The 33-year-old said, "I went to Turkey for 18 months and lived by myself and it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life." He added, "I ended up becoming addicted to sleeping tablets because I'd just got home from training and to pass time, I'd think, 'what am I going to do now?'"
Shelvey played for two clubs during his time in the Turkish Super Lig, but the move to Istanbul did not solve his problem. He said, "I was in a city that was a Muslim-orientated city. There were like three restaurants. To pass time, I'd just end up taking three or four sleeping tablets and I'd pass out until the next morning for training."
After a year in Rize, Shelvey joined Eyüpspor in Istanbul but found himself alone again. He admitted, "I thought to myself, I could go one way or the other, I could go and drink myself to pass time." However, he knew that drinking was not a good option for a footballer, so he continued taking sleeping pills.
But the consequences of his addiction were far-reaching. "It destroyed my relationship with my kids," Shelvey said. He also revealed that he would wake up to find texts sent to his manager that he couldn't remember sending.
Shelvey's story is not uncommon in football, with other players like Dele Alli also admitting to being addicted to sleeping pills. Psychotherapist Gary Bloom, who has worked with Oxford United, believes that the issue is widespread in the sport.
According to Shelvey, the easy accessibility of sleeping pills played a big role in his addiction. He said, "I found a website online, you could just put in what you want, buy them and bosh, get them delivered to your gaff."
Thankfully, Shelvey was able to overcome his addiction with the help of his family. He said, "I'm lucky that I've had people around me, family especially, that have sort of kicked it out of me." And he is not alone in his struggle, as many other footballers also face the same issue.
Shelvey now plays for UAE side Arabian Falcons, and he hopes that by sharing his story, he can raise awareness about the dangers of sleeping pill addiction in football. He said, "It's so bad. I think it's so easily accessible. I'm lucky that I've had people around me that have sort of kicked it out of me."
