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“The Wrestler” was a masterpiece showcasing, aptly, the hardships of professional wrestlers living the dream in the sports entertainment. People always think that professional wrestling is ‘Fake’ and all the performances they see in the ring are scripted. While most of it is true (scripted outcomes) but the pain they endure is real.Physical pain is not all that wrestlers have to deal with. There are only a few handful wrestlers that are able to reach the pinnacle of success in their careers without crumbling down to vices like alcohol, drugs, Injuries, etc. Here is the list of major pitfalls in the life of a Professional Wrestler.
#1 Alcohol
Alcohol, when consumed socially, is enjoyable and harmless. But when people resort to use alcohol in order to combat stress, pressure or loneliness it becomes a vicious vice. Wrestling being a fast and competitive sport, many wrestlers have fell prey to alcoholism. In order to cope up with the pressure to perform on a daily basis, many wrestlers find an easy escape in booze.
Scott Hall and Lex Luger are few names that come to mind when one thinks of career downfall due to booze. Hall is famous for numerous rehab stints over the years an has only recently been able to sober up.
#2 Drugs
The most common and abused of all vices is the usage of drugs. Here, the drugs used are not only to relieve the stress/pressure or to get high but are also used to enhance once performance in the ring or simply to achieve the desired body. The impact of drugs is such that wrestlers became synonymous with steroids.
The use of these drugs have increased many folds and almost every wrestler use it one way or the other. Occasional use of drugs for reducing pain is acceptable but once the wrestlers start overusing, it becomes an addiction.
Careers of wrestlers like Shawn Michaels and Jake the Snake Roberts were nearly destroyed due to drug over usage and the tragic loss of lives of the wrestlers Mr. Perfect and Matt Osborne is no secret. Michaels and Jake Roberts are a few that were able to overcome the addiction and restore their careers.
#3 Relationships
As we all know that professional wrestlers are always on the road traveling from one city to another, from one country to another. This leaves no time at all for their personal relations, family and friends. The ultra-competitive work environment combined with the pressure of performing, all of this while away from their loved ones takes a toll on their mental as well as emotional well-being.
This leads to bouts of depression which in turn hampers their performance in the ring. Sometimes some wrestlers are not able to cope up with the pressure and find themselves entangled in a mixture of anxiety and depression. The only way they see out of all this is either quit the business or restore to drugs/booze or sometimes go beyond the limits and commit suicided/murder.
Wrestler Chris Benoit was suffering from drug overuse, depression due to his failing relationship with his family, due to which he took the extreme step of killing himself and his family
#4 Injuries
Wrestling may be considered as a scripted sport but the pain and injuries endured by the wrestlers to entertain the fans are real. It is the most common source of ending careers. Small injuries like sprain in the ankle to major career and life threatening injuries like quad tear, brain trauma are all part and parcel of professional wrestling.
WWE Superstar and Hall of Famer Edge was forced to an early retirement at an age of 39 owing to multiple injuries sustained over his glorious WWE career. He is not the only wrestler to have faced such a fate. Active ring performers like Triple H was put out of action for eight months due to quadriceps muscle tear. Former wrestlers like Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold have both suffered career threatening injuries which took aggressive rehabilitation to return to the ring.
#5 Career Uncertainty
Like any other professional competitive sports, professional wrestling is also a very uncertain career choice. A wrestler’s career is often shadowed by injuries, drug abuse, depression, etc which makes it a very uncertain career path. The uncertainty is further highlighted by the fact that a wrestler live may end in the ring. Wrestler Hijo del Perro Aguayo died recently in a freak accident while competing in the ring.
The wrestler have to constantly compete in order to better themselves, they are always away from home, they overcome harsh conditions just to earn money and be the best at what they do. Getting a good start in wrestling career does not guarantee success due to uncertainty.
Stone Cold had a perfect and successful career until a severe neck injury came along which cut short his already brilliant stint in the Attitude Era.
