Jake Shields goes off the deep end, suggests yearly cage fights for teenagers to battle anxiety and depression

Former UFC fighter Jake Shields recently caused controversy when he took to Twitter to suggest a rather unorthodox solution for teenagers struggling with mental health issues.

In his tweet, Shields suggested that teenagers should be made to participate in a cage fight once a year in order to combat anxiety, depression, and ADD.

Jake Shields argued that after participating in a cage fight in front of their peers, the worries that the teens had prior to the fight would seem insignificant. He also suggested that training for a fight would eliminate any time for feelings of depression, and that getting punched in the face would help with concentration and focus for those with ADD.

The former UFC welterweight contender wrote:

"If teens were forced to do a cage fight once a year most of their mental health issues would disappear. Anxiety: after a cage fight in front or your peers your old worries will feel silly. Depression: know time to be depressed when you’re training for a fight. ADD: getting punched in the face will make you ultra-focused."

While the intention behind Jake Shields' tweet may have been to find a unique solution to help young people deal with mental health issues, the response from the public has been overwhelmingly dissenting. Many have pointed out the potential harm and trauma that could be caused by forcing teenagers to participate in violent cage fights, and the idea has been widely criticized.

Twitter user replied:

"Nobody should force them, it's their choice. What you're saying is similar to young men being forced to have military service. Make your arguments, but people tend to do a better job when they actually want to be doing the work."

Another user wrote:

"Forcing teens to partake in cage fights… That would be child endangerment and abuse."

Renowned bodybuilding coach Bryan Krahn expressed his contradiction with Jake Shields' opinion and stated:

"I don't think a yearly cage-fight would help the mental health crisis among teens. It would probably lead to even more anxiety and depression, not to mention physical injury. Certainly, martial arts and its qualities (exercise, discipline, confidence, camaraderie) is helpful."

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Jake Shields has defended Leonardo DiCaprio amid criticism

Jake Shields is recognized for his outspoken viewpoints on current events. Shields is fearless when it comes to expressing his opinions and sticking to his beliefs.

The former Strikeforce champion recently commented on the Hollywood controversy involving Leonardo DiCaprio and his rumored attraction towards younger individuals. Shields' statement suggests that he has a firm stance on the matter and is unafraid to speak his mind about sensitive topics.

The 44-year-old veteran mixed martial artist wrote on Twitter:

"The only people upset at Leonardo DiCaprio for sleeping with young beautiful models are women that he wouldn’t sleep with These Same women praised Demi Moore for dating Ashton Kutcher."

Leonardo DiCaprio has been making headlines for quite some time due to his alleged involvement with women who are considerably younger than him, some even under the age of 25. Despite being 48 years old, the Oscar-winning actor continues to draw attention to his personal life and choices beyond his successful career in the entertainment industry.