Jimmy White revealed last year he was reaping the benefits of a ‘life-changing’ ADHD diagnosis and Dave Gilbert has been inspired to look at his own mental health.
The Whirlwind, 62, was diagnosed three years ago and told Metro that it was ‘very eye-opening, but at the same time fantastic.’
Gilbert has often struggled for focus and motivation over his snooker career and describes himself as ‘so up and down’ on and off the table.
The pressures of the game are part of the problem, but he intends to see a mental health specialist after hearing about White’s extremely helpful diagnosis.
‘I’ve heard Ronnie [O’Sullivan] say that he’d never want his kids to play [snooker] and people think that’s a bit silly, but I get it. It’s very up and down,’ said the 44-year-old.
‘And if you’ve got…everybody’s got these things nowadays, like bipolar, this, that, that, that. I must have every single one of them. If I was checked out 30 years ago, maybe it’d have worked out a bit differently for me.
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‘I’m so up and down. I think I’m going to go and see a specialist over the summer.
‘I’ve seen Jimmy do something and it turned out he had ADHD. I thought maybe it’s time for me to [see a specialist], because I’d like to feel a bit better in my own skin, you know what I mean?
‘I think I’m all right, deep down, morally. You know, I don’t think I’m a bad guy. I wouldn’t do anybody a bad turn, but I’ve certainly not helped myself at times.’
The world number 25 has had a disappointing season but it can end on a high note as he came through qualifying to reach the Crucible, where he plays Ding Junhui in the opening round.
‘I’m really happy to be through. I’m glad to get out of here and I’m glad to be going to the Crucible,’ he said after beating Aaron Hill at the English Institute of Sport.
‘I’ve wasted so many opportunities over the past 25 years, really, but certainly the last few years. I’ve just turned up and whacked about. I’ve played a few Crucibles like that as well, which is pretty disappointing.
‘I’m never going to have the perfect attitude and temperament and sit there like an absolute drip in my chair when it’s absolutely shocking. You know what I mean? I’ve learnt that I’ve just got to let it out and just be who I am.’
The Angry Farmer has been to two Crucible semi-finals, one as recently as 2024, so knows how well he can compete with the best when he is putting the work in on the practice table, which is what has been missing.
‘I’ve proven I can play on the big stages,’ he said. ‘Two Masters semis and two World semis. You know, I’m not that crap. I’ve been all right. Bit of an underachiever, I guess.
‘I’d like to have won a couple more, you know. I’ve been a couple of shots away from probably being a millionaire, I don’t know.
‘But I’m also a bit of an idiot as well, so that don’t help. I know what it takes to be good at this game and I haven’t done that for a long, long, long time. But yeah, for some strange reason, I do actually think I can play a little bit.
‘I wish I was built differently, let’s say, but I’m not. It took a long time to just be all right with who I am, you know.’
Gilbert takes on Ding at 10am on Sunday and in the same session on Monday at the Crucible.