Scott Hall details of substance abuse in professional wrestling on ESPN E: 60

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div id = “entryText”> chiseled, bright, colorful costumes and personalities and egos that define macho professional wrestlers have attracted fans for decades. “blog_caption”> Wrestling is not all fun and games, kid. (World Wrestling Entertainment)

But when the men inside the ring can not be separated from their stage characters from real life beyond, the result can be tragic.

In recent years, an alarming number of recognizable figures in the ranks of professional wrestling died from overdose and suicide, raising concerns about the impact of steroids on the mental health of an individual, and fitness.

old star of the World Wrestling Championship life a struggle to E: 60. Interview aired on ESPN Wednesday night

Hall – better known as the sweet Razor Ramon in the character of the early 1990s – the details of his battle with drug addiction and alcohol that led to his desire to lead male role in his personal life. The 52 years have a pacemaker and is on many medications for pain and anxiety.

“There must be a why I’m still here, “says Hall. “I should have died a hundred times.”

In August 2007, after the terrible death of star Eddie Guerrero fight (heart complications in 2005) and Chris Benoit (murder-suicide in 2007), The Washington Post staff writer Paul Farhi wrote a piece of cooling light slightly known secondary industry in the fight . The story was titled appropriately: Death Grip

“ Benoit and Guerrero live in a culture that creates addicts, which encourages organs of the Comic-hero – and in the past. years have seen dozens of its members die at a young age seen at an alarming rate “. / Span>

Dave Meltzer, founder and editor of the newsletter Wrestling Observer, recently compiled a list of current and former wrestlers who have died since 1997, before age 50. He said the list ran to about 60 names.

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World Wrestling Entertainment has taken steps to educate employees about the risks of abuse of steroids and other substances, which includes a target of <= a href = "http://ping.fm/GrHsO"_blank" "> wellness program for talent . Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chairman of the Executive Vice President of Creative Development and Operations, said the organization has spent” six figures “, send hall in rehab several times.

“I tell my children that” .. I can tell you that I do not drink and drugs, which are fun It’s fun work, “said Hall, who is training his son 20 years of being a fighter own business.” But that hell is when you want to stop smoking and can not, and soon to alienate or hurt everyone around him. This is a family disease and can not keep a promise to anyone. What sucks the most is when you can not even keep a promise to yourself. “