Gibson revealed the true extent of a sleeping pill addiction he developed after retiring from football, in an interview with The 42. It was only after the former Northern Ireland central midfielder was rushed to hospital after having a seizure that the seriousness of the issue became clear.
"If I'd kept going, I'd have died," he said, opening about his struggles adapting to life after the professional game. "I don't even think I was functioning at that point," said Gibson, reflecting on the period immediately after his retirement at the end of the 2020/21 season.
"Looking back at pictures, I was grey, if I had kept going I would have died. I was taking 12 to 14 sleeping tablets a night. I was rushed to hospital and I didn't mention any sleeping tablets to anyone. Danielle [his wife] knew I took them but she had no idea to what extent. I was good at hiding it."
Thankfully, Gibson — who made 60 appearances for Manchester United between 2005 and 2012 before moving onto clubs such as Sunderland, Wigan, and Salford City — made it through that rough patch.
Next Match
But his comments reflect a broader issue; earlier this year, former Spurs star Dele also spoke out about his struggles with sleeping pill addiction, and the mental health of professional footballers is something that is coming increasingly under the spotlight.
The former United player added that he "felt horrendous" after hearing about Dele's troubles; hopefully the 36-year-old — who played 27 games for his country — feels less of a burden having discussed his own struggles.