Maybe Punk's problems run deeper!

[d_henderson1810]

A thought occurred to me.

What we know so far.

Punk left after RR without explanation.
We have not heard from him since.
He is still under contract.
He may be given time off.
The WWE aren't suing him for breach of contract.
We have not heard from Punk since, or the WWE, on this matter.

Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe we are not being told the whole story?

Some here say that Punk took time off. This is his second sabbatical in the last year,unusual for a young, fit, "straight-edge" guy.

But what if it is a health problem, not related to physical health? Maybe Punk has been given time off by WWE, to deal with "personal issues".

I knew someone quite dear to me who suffered depression. This person couldn't work, didn't want to face crowds, had panic attacks, and couldn't face people. Maybe Punk has such a condition.

I mean, Phil Brooks is an intense, humourless guy who takes things too seriously. He seems like a loner, and is like a closed book. Who knows what demons he may battle daily.

I mean, why else miss out on Wrestlemania, why else leave early? People put it that Punk was pissed off, because they were. But it may have nothing to do with this.

It would also explain the silence from both camps, and nothing leaking out since (virtually unheard of in the internet age). Maybe everyone is trying to be sensitive to this. Vince may have even told Punk to get himself right, and then he can come back, and take as much time as he needs to recover.

Punk's problem to is that, being "straight-edge" would mean that he wouldn't use medication to help the problem, meaning his recovery could be longer than with many people who seek treatment.

Also, where can someone battling this problem in wrestling? Who is there to talk to, in an industry where many are looking to take your spot?

Maybe we have all misjudged Punk. If this is the problem, it would explain the lack of information he have on what is going on. Hey, Punk hasn't even twitted his fans, saying he is okay. But, if you have depression, you struggle to function at times, and maybe he doesn't want his fans to know what the real story is.

If so, get well soon, Phil Brooks (C.M. Punk).

MOD NOTE: Please take this topic seriously. It can potentially be a good discussion. Immature and rude responses will be deleted. Keep in mind this is also non-spam so do not spam or else you risk getting an infraction.

 

[Blade]

This so way off, I'm not even sure where to begin.

Yeah, he takes what he does quite seriously. But humourless? C'mon. There are several YouTube videos that are compilations of Punk being funny. His commentary alone shows what a good sense of humour he has. His sense of humour comes off as very dry, even mean at times, but I know lots of lovely, happy people who have that kind of sense of humour.

And you're saying he's a loner? Putting aside the fact that you likely have no idea what Punk's personal life is like, he has a lot of friends from a lot of different places. He has friends in MMA, and other sports, music, TV. A girlfriend who I imagine is pretty damn cool. I don't think he's lonely in the slightest.

Yeah, Punk himself admits he's a jerk. But there are rarely any underlying conditions that cause that. Sometimes jerks are just jerks.

His decision to walk out so suddenly can be a sign of bipolar disorder, or some other conditions. But at the same time, we've heard time and time again about Punk has been saying since 2010 that he wants to leave. So it was inevitable that he was going to hit a breaking point day. CM Punk was never going to be wrestling till he was 50.

Again, it seems like Punk just got fed up. He was exhausted physically and mentally and he'd had enough. His situation may have made him depressed, but that doesn't mean he has depression. His appearance on Talking Dead shows that he definitely isn't depressed now. It's hard to fake that kind of sincere contentedness, especially if he really did have depression.

 

[d_henderson1810]

This so way off, I'm not even sure where to begin.

Yeah, he takes what he does quite seriously. But humourless? C'mon. There are several YouTube videos that are compilations of Punk being funny. His commentary alone shows what a good sense of humour he has. His sense of humour comes off as very dry, even mean at times, but I know lots of lovely, happy people who have that kind of sense of humour.

And you're saying he's a loner? Putting aside the fact that you likely have no idea what Punk's personal life is like, he has a lot of friends from a lot of different places. He has friends in MMA, and other sports, music, TV. A girlfriend who I imagine is pretty damn cool. I don't think he's lonely in the slightest.

Yeah, Punk himself admits he's a jerk. But there are rarely any underlying conditions that cause that. Sometimes jerks are just jerks.

His decision to walk out so suddenly can be a sign of bipolar disorder, or some other conditions. But at the same time, we've heard time and time again about Punk has been saying since 2010 that he wants to leave. So it was inevitable that he was going to hit a breaking point day. CM Punk was never going to be wrestling till he was 50.

Again, it seems like Punk just got fed up. He was exhausted physically and mentally and he'd had enough. His situation may have made him depressed, but that doesn't mean he has depression. His appearance on Talking Dead shows that he definitely isn't depressed now. It's hard to fake that kind of sincere contentedness, especially if he really did have depression.

Sure, Punk may be funny amongst certain company. People with depression can be the happiest, most bubbly people, and can suffer depression. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain, and has nothing to do with circumstance (although something upsetting can trigger it).

My point is, depression is less obvious amongst people like Punk, who are more intense. It is easy to spot in normally happy, positive people, because their demeanour changes. So if Phil Brooks had it, it may not be as obvious.

People who suffer depression can have friends, even a girlfriend, yet can still suffer depression.

The fact is, my theory is as informed as any of yours. You all seem to KNOW why Punk left, when no-one has said why. So you can't say why it isn't, if you don't know why it is.

 

[MoxleyCrue]

Calm down guys, everyone who is intense is obviously depressed....

Can we stop playing doctor now? Your theory is not as informed as Blade's, otherwise I could have a theory that he was actually bodysnatched and claim it's just as informed as yours.

Ever listen to Marty DeRosa's Wrestling with Depression podcast? Punk has categorically stated he doesn't even believe in depression, so tie that in with his PMA outlook, and I think you can probably knock your depression theory down a peg or two.

No-one knows for sure why he left, but in all reality he was probably too beat up, too mentally tired, and not receiving what he felt was a just reward for it all.

Give the guy a break.

 

[No Count Pup]

A thought occurred to me.

What we know so far.

Punk left after RR without explanation.
We have not heard from him since.
He is still under contract.
He may be given time off.
The WWE aren't suing him for breach of contract.
We have not heard from Punk since, or the WWE, on this matter.

Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe we are not being told the whole story?

Some here say that Punk took time off. This is his second sabbatical in the last year,unusual for a young, fit, "straight-edge" guy.

But what if it is a health problem, not related to physical health? Maybe Punk has been given time off by WWE, to deal with "personal issues".

I knew someone quite dear to me who suffered depression. This person couldn't work, didn't want to face crowds, had panic attacks, and couldn't face people. Maybe Punk has such a condition.

I mean, Phil Brooks is an intense, humourless guy who takes things too seriously. He seems like a loner, and is like a closed book. Who knows what demons he may battle daily.

I mean, why else miss out on Wrestlemania, why else leave early? People put it that Punk was pissed off, because they were. But it may have nothing to do with this.

It would also explain the silence from both camps, and nothing leaking out since (virtually unheard of in the internet age). Maybe everyone is trying to be sensitive to this. Vince may have even told Punk to get himself right, and then he can come back, and take as much time as he needs to recover.

Punk's problem to is that, being "straight-edge" would mean that he wouldn't use medication to help the problem, meaning his recovery could be longer than with many people who seek treatment.

Also, where can someone battling this problem in wrestling? Who is there to talk to, in an industry where many are looking to take your spot?

Maybe we have all misjudged Punk. If this is the problem, it would explain the lack of information he have on what is going on. Hey, Punk hasn't even twitted his fans, saying he is okay. But, if you have depression, you struggle to function at times, and maybe he doesn't want his fans to know what the real story is.

If so, get well soon, Phil Brooks (C.M. Punk).

While this whole topic is a bit too speculative for my taste, I understand the sentiment. There is so much to the story we don't know. Punk may have a very legitimate non wrestling-related reason for taking a "sabbatical." Then again, he may not. The bottom line:

Instead of assigning fault and blame to Punk or WWE, maybe we can give both sides the benefit of the doubt since we don't know squat.

I give d_henderson1810 credit for thinking outside the box.

 

[StingerSplash22]

There is a lot to this story we don't know because nobody owes it to any of us. It is there business and you people need to move on. Phil Brooks made a decision and his fans and haters all need to accept his choice and let it go.

 

[Kitten Cutter]

I give credit to the OP as well. It's documented that actors can suffer depression and still make public appearances and press events, so it's not like it's a foregone conclusion that just because he's doing media appearances like Talking Dead doesn't mean he's happy at home.

We do know that he had a good amount of injuries, and that he doesn't take painkillers. That is an physical and emotional toll, especially when things have been heightened, like the launch of the WWE Network, Wrestlemania season, and even the internal power switching to HHH and Stephanie. It's not like Punk is best friends with HHH. I'm sure they've been able to work well together at some point, but HHH isn't exactly viewed in stories as the nicest guy to work with.

Maybe it is a reach, and hopefully it's not true but it's not as far-fetched as it sounds.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

You said it right when you said "Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe we are not being told the whole story?"

I'd hope that's occurred to everyone who's said anything about the Punk situation, because the only people who know the real story right now are those in Punk's closest inner circle. Literally everyone else who isn't, is just speculating.

So let me speculate

I agree with the theory that he's simply burnt out on wrestling, and isn't beholden enough to the WWE to continue with them despite that. I also agree with the theory that he's not just posturing when he's said in the past how much he hates the part timers that come in and take the top spots from the guys who bust their asses all year long, and Batista coming back and winning the Rumble was the final straw for him.

I don't agree that he's got depression, anxiety, or anything else like that. Reports from his few public appearances since walking out have all said that he looks happier and healthier than he did while he was on the road with the WWE, so it wouldn't appear that he's depressed right now. He seems content instead of a guy that's faking it for appearances sake. Possibly he was before he walked out, and that's why he did it? We simply don't know one way or another.

If it was simply burn out, he could have stuck it out a few more months until his contract ran out, then taken time off without causing such an uproar. That's why I think it also is in part the principle of the part timer situation, and this is also him taking a stand against that. Doing things this way, allows him to recharge his batteries, but also sends the message that the current way of doing things is causing problems that need to be addressed.

That's what I believe at least. Am I right? Probably a little bit, and I'm probably wrong on other parts. Just like every other Punk theorist out there. I'm sure one day we'll find out the truth, but it'll take years to get the real story (like it took years to get the real story on why Stan Hansen was stripped of the AWA title).

 

[MrMojoRisin]

It's not like Punk is best friends with HHH. I'm sure they've been able to work well together at some point, but HHH isn't exactly viewed in stories as the nicest guy to work with.

Maybe it is a reach, and hopefully it's not true but it's not as far-fetched as it sounds.

There's another possibility.

I have no idea what Punk's relationship is like with HHH and Stephanie, but it's been documented that he was very close with Vince... to the point that they would both text each other in the middle of the night with ideas and stuff because neither man sleeps well. Maybe that relationship just isn't there with Hunter, and he simply feels that he won't get a fair shake under the guy, so why even bother? I actually know from personal experience how tough it can be to switch from a boss that believes in you that you're close with, to a new one that doesn't have the same faith in you that you're not close with. It's not easy.

Then again there's another thing. He didn't sleep well. Why is that? The pressure of the business? Pressure at home? General discontent with his life? Who's to say? He is a guy that tears through women. Is that because he's just a male ****, or is it because of something more underlying that being in the business wasn't helping?

Either way, like I mentioned above, in the few times he's been out since the walkout, he does seem happier and more content than he used to be while in the WWE. Sadly for fans that just want to see him back in the ring, that's probably not a good thing. For fans that just appreciated all he did to entertain them though, it is.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

A thought occurred to me.

What we know so far.

Punk left after RR without explanation.
We have not heard from him since.
He is still under contract.
He may be given time off.
The WWE aren't suing him for breach of contract.
We have not heard from Punk since, or the WWE, on this matter.

Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe we are not being told the whole story?

It has occurred to me many times throughout this ordeal and yet some people have the balls to come out and start threads that have comments like this:

C.M. Punk is an attention-seeker. His promos, the way he baits crowds at house shows etc, he is like a little child who says "Look at me!". Everything C.M. Punk does is to bring attention to C.M. Punk. ROH won't give him such attention.

If Punk was making movies like the Rock, or doing the activities Jericho is, then he wouldn't need wrestling, as he is getting his ego fed elsewhere. But Punk has left WWE for ......what?

Punk NEEDS WWE! Only they can give him the attention he craves.

Punk wanting a family? But where else would Punk meet Divas to be up? Maybe he should join that company that Maria Kallelis is in, since he was banging her once.

Punk couldn't have a family, as it would require him loving someone other than himself.

I'm glad you and I realize that we don't know much about the situation unlike this guy whose post I quoted.

Some here say that Punk took time off. This is his second sabbatical in the last year,unusual for a young, fit, "straight-edge" guy.

But what if it is a health problem, not related to physical health? Maybe Punk has been given time off by WWE, to deal with "personal issues".

I knew someone quite dear to me who suffered depression. This person couldn't work, didn't want to face crowds, had panic attacks, and couldn't face people. Maybe Punk has such a condition.

I mean, Phil Brooks is an intense, humourless guy who takes things too seriously. He seems like a loner, and is like a closed book. Who knows what demons he may battle daily.

I mean, why else miss out on Wrestlemania, why else leave early? People put it that Punk was pissed off, because they were. But it may have nothing to do with this.

It would also explain the silence from both camps, and nothing leaking out since (virtually unheard of in the internet age). Maybe everyone is trying to be sensitive to this. Vince may have even told Punk to get himself right, and then he can come back, and take as much time as he needs to recover.

Punk's problem to is that, being "straight-edge" would mean that he wouldn't use medication to help the problem, meaning his recovery could be longer than with many people who seek treatment.

Also, where can someone battling this problem in wrestling? Who is there to talk to, in an industry where many are looking to take your spot?

Maybe we have all misjudged Punk. If this is the problem, it would explain the lack of information he have on what is going on. Hey, Punk hasn't even twitted his fans, saying he is okay. But, if you have depression, you struggle to function at times, and maybe he doesn't want his fans to know what the real story is.

If so, get well soon, Phil Brooks (C.M. Punk).

Mental health is very important. Professional wrestling does not mix well with mental health issues. The irony is that you probably have to have a few screws loose to want to be a professional wrestler. Do I think he has mental health issues? No, but it along with a billion other things, this would explain his departure. It would also be something that is easy to understand.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I knew someone quite dear to me who suffered depression......Maybe Punk has such a condition.

Maybe he does. Obviously, it's hard to fathom the existence of depression in a person who occupies an exalted place in the public consciousness; one who is compensated with amounts of money of which regular folks can't even conceive, gets widespread adulation and publicity the world over. We ask: how can a person like that be depressed? Isn't depression a condition that inflicts mainly folks who feel they are under-appreciated?

Maybe yes, maybe no. Depression seems to take all forms and laymen like ourselves are hardly capable of diagnosing it, much less understanding it. But maybe this is what is wrong with Phil Brooks....and if it is, he's better off away from the spotlight he spent his professional life pursuing. Of course, if he doesn't like fame, perhaps he shouldn't be making nationwide appearances on that "Talking Dead" panel and making other public appearances. But then, who's to say what form depression takes and how it appears to outsiders?

Or, perhaps it's not depression at all. Maybe he has toiled for years and years, trying to attain a position in his chosen field.....and having gotten there, he's decided that things should be done his way....and no other way....and when individuals and corporations don't want to do it his way, he takes his ball and goes home.

His whole WWE persona has revolved around "Voice of the Voiceless" and the position that he's the ultimate rebel, looking to call the shots and take down the establishment in his own unique fashion.

So, maybe he suffers from depression.....or maybe what we've seen as his ring persona is actually close to his real one.....and what we're witnessing is simply life imitating art.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

No one seems to want to accept the obvious explaination, that this is simply time that was built into his deal (say 2 months a year) that he didn't take due to how he was booked. Now he has to take it or lose it... So he took it.

As someone with depression I am quite open about it but wouldn't want my colleauges speculating or people I don't know talking about it. I tell the people who need to know when I have an attack i.e. the boss, family and close friends and everyone else can do one until I want to face the world again... If anything like this is even a possiblility, it's not our business and shouldn't really be talked about here...

 

[JohnJohnson]

Reading the OP, I thought he was going to go a different direction, which really got me thinking. Maybe the reason why he is taking his second break in the past year is because of a Wellness Violation. This could be the reason why everything has been so hushed. If Punk began to use some sort of drugs, and got caught, then the revelation of such fact would ultimately bury CM Punk.

I know he is supposed to be "straight edge", but people change. When I was 18 I was the biggest anti alcohol person you could find. I would tell people how stupid they were for drinking and that making yourself mentally less aware was a bad move. Fast forward to age 19, I was getting drunk on a nightly basis.

This is really the first time I can recall, where something this big didn't get leaked on the internet. It would make sense if it were a wellness violation and only the smallest inner circle knows about it and want to keep it under wraps to protect their asset.

 

[Trill Co$by]

Oh my... Can we please start banning people for making these damn CM Bitch posts? They're starting to become a nuisance. There are like 30 of these things, all of which say the same damn thing.

To answer the topic, for the last time, it's either a work or CM Bitch being a whining little bitch. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

I love Punk and wow do people tend to make stupid excuses for him. The simple reason why you are wrong is this: HHH took a clear shot at Punk when he said "they would take their ball and go home" to Bryan.

If both sides were really sensitive on the aforementioned Punk's problem, then HHH wouldn't say what he said.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

This so way off, I'm not even sure where to begin.

Yeah, he takes what he does quite seriously. But humourless? C'mon. There are several YouTube videos that are compilations of Punk being funny. His commentary alone shows what a good sense of humour he has. His sense of humour comes off as very dry, even mean at times, but I know lots of lovely, happy people who have that kind of sense of humour.

And you're saying he's a loner? Putting aside the fact that you likely have no idea what Punk's personal life is like, he has a lot of friends from a lot of different places. He has friends in MMA, and other sports, music, TV. A girlfriend who I imagine is pretty damn cool. I don't think he's lonely in the slightest.

Yeah, Punk himself admits he's a jerk. But there are rarely any underlying conditions that cause that. Sometimes jerks are just jerks.

His decision to walk out so suddenly can be a sign of bipolar disorder, or some other conditions. But at the same time, we've heard time and time again about Punk has been saying since 2010 that he wants to leave. So it was inevitable that he was going to hit a breaking point day. CM Punk was never going to be wrestling till he was 50.

Again, it seems like Punk just got fed up. He was exhausted physically and mentally and he'd had enough. His situation may have made him depressed, but that doesn't mean he has depression. His appearance on Talking Dead shows that he definitely isn't depressed now. It's hard to fake that kind of sincere contentedness, especially if he really did have depression.

A verified, but anonymous WWE backstage worker did a Reddit AMA at r/SquaredCircle the other day, and he pointed out that CM Punk always kept to himself backstage. He confirmed that he definitely is a loner, even if he does consider himself friends with Kofi, Joey and other guys backstage.

And there have always been backstage reports about how Punk never looks like he's happy to be there. Sure, it could be just frustration with the booking, but it seems like everyone thinks Punk never really seemed happy.

Jeff Hardy once mentioned that Punk takes Ambien to go to sleep. No one believed him because Punk supposedly doesn't take prescription medications, but if it's true that Punk has sleeping problems, I wouldn't think it's farfetched that he has a mood disorder either.

I still have no clue WHAT CM Punk wanted out of the WWE. He was getting paid big bucks, he was a consistent main-eventer, and his merchandise was selling big time. He was on top of the world. His match with Triple H would have probably been one of the highest profile matches on the show, certainly above Cena/Wyatt.

There was someone who attended Royal Rumble who wrote an interesting anecdote on Reddit. He said that a referee told Punk something and Punk looked visibly bothered by it. It was then followed immediately by Kane eliminating him from the match.

I'm guessing it could have either been:
(1) That he didn't know that Kane would eliminate him. Maybe he was expecting to make it in the Final 4? IDK, I really don't know how much the wrestlers know about their Rumble eliminations by the time they enter the ring.

(2) That he got injured or was suspected of being injured so they called an audible to eliminate him earlier than planned. This would be consistent with the backstage report that Punk walked out after arguing about some "bullshit" injury.

(3) That he was expecting to win the Rumble. Now this sounds completely ridiculous, but here's the thing. Punk did an interview where he all but confirmed he was facing Triple H at Mania. He already knew what was going down. Batista's return was already announced and he probably knew Dave was getting the main event spot. I have no idea what could have happened in those 24 hours for Punk to just walk out after putting on a 40-minute performance at the Rumble. He obviously woke up that Sunday feeling like his job was worth it, and woke up Monday thinking the opposite. Something must have happened.

Maybe he knew he was losing the Rumble, but didn't really feel how much that upset him until it actually happened? IDK, but something was up with him.

I agree that his problems run deeper, because the fact is, it takes much more than common sense to figure out what the hell happened.

 

[Pérez84]

Maybe he was expecting to be eliminated by HHH himself and then suddenly the plan was changed in order to go for Punk vs Kane at WM instead of Punk vs HHH.

Nobody knows.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Maybe he was expecting to be eliminated by HHH himself and then suddenly the plan was changed in order to go for Punk vs Kane at WM instead of Punk vs HHH.

Nobody knows.

When Punk walked out, my immediate thought was that WWE must have nixed Punk vs. Triple H. But reports have denied that the match was nixed, instead saying that Punk was upset about feuding with Triple H. Like I said, that's completely bizarre considering Punk was happy setting up the feud during the Championship ceremony, and saying on a radio show that "fans should know who he is going to face already", implying that he was ok with facing Triple H.

Maybe you're right about WWE changing plans to Kane, but according to all sources, that wasn't the case.

 

[IT Factor]

Although I don't agree with all of the OP's original points, I do agree that we the fans do not know the entire story here. WWE are notorious for burying people who walk out on them when the reasons are purely selfish. Look at Stone Cold's 2002 walkout on WWE for supposed refusal to job to Brock Lesnar and what subsequently was one of the biggest smear campaigns in WWE history on one of their own biggest stars. You do NOT see that in the case of CM Punk which makes me suspect a much bigger backstory other than just Punk walking out because he didn't want to wrestle Triple H @ Mania. That is just weak and I don't believe Punk would quit right near Mania season just for that reason alone. Maybe Punk was promised a better spot going into Mania and realized he was being lied to yet again and called it quits. Maybe Punk was simply tired of guys like himself and Bryan working hard all year just to have Batista return @ the Royal Rumble and take the main event. Those are all very good guesses, but something tells me that WWE have more to hide here and if it had been the case of Punk leaving just because he felt like it then WWE would have ultimately smeared his name and buried him worse than they did Austin in '02.

With all of that being said, whatever the case is it looks bad for one Phil Brooks. He will always be known as that guy who quit wrestling with only a few months left on his contract[unless he returns and makes up the time, highly unlikely]. Very unprofessional and childish and as a fan of Punk's, I am disappointed. He can appear on shows like "Talking Dead" but thinks he is above WWE and his fans. Chances are we'll never know the whole story here, but the fact remains that neither side is talking so this is all just speculation. Who knows?

 

[sicmcnasti]

You guys are ridiculous.

He's not depressed. He's physically beat up and wanted time off mixed with having some things he thought were going to go one way not going that way.

That simple.

Why haven't they sued him? Because they want him back at some point. It just won't be anytime soon.

 

[ADLegend21]

hmmm, I hadn't thought about depression. He knows he's not getting any younger and he's a goal based person. He's had the longest WWE title reign in forever, he's defended the title at Mania, he's gone a whole year with the title, main evented PPV's, got the WWE triple crown, got a DVD, held both world titles, etc. The only two things he hasn't done is win the RR and main event Wrestlemania in a title match.

I still think he needed time off badly to the point where he couldn't wait anymore, Mark Henry has done similar things recently when he was banged up so he could heal quicker and not worsen his condition so that's where my mind went immediately when they said Punk walked out but was still under contract. If he is depressed I hope he's recovered, he looked happy on The Talking Dead last week and in recent pictures people post with him.

 

[RManske2]

It's a different theory and as others have said we don't know everything and may never know but there are a few things I want to add...

1) The breach of contract issue. There could be a variety of reasons why the WWE hasn't pursued this and could be real or completely speculative. Perhaps they want to leave the door open for his return or in my simple opinion, if they were to pursue a lawsuit it could become a PR nightmare for WWE and maybe open the door to other things. Then again, if his contract was up in a few months anyways what would the company gain for suing?

2) CM Punk himself. I don't know the guy or anything about him outside of the ring but maybe after years with WWE he has made some smart choices and doesn't need the stress and the money (I have no idea what he made). But he seems to show up at a variety of events that aren't exactly cheap so maybe he figures he has his money and wants to live like a "normal" person, whatever that might be.

3) And just to add to the crazy theory of things, who says this isn't a big plan. Who says HHH doesn't walk about of the title at WM 30 and goes on how he has all the control now since he runs the place both as the COO and as the champion. This leads to some power issue where Vince or Shane come back and they bring back CM Punk to go after HHH resulting in yet...another power struggle. Likely? No. Stupid? Perhaps. But we all have random thoughts.

 

[d_henderson1810]

Maybe he does. Obviously, it's hard to fathom the existence of depression in a person who occupies an exalted place in the public consciousness; one who is compensated with amounts of money of which regular folks can't even conceive, gets widespread adulation and publicity the world over. We ask: how can a person like that be depressed? Isn't depression a condition that inflicts mainly folks who feel they are under-appreciated?

Maybe yes, maybe no. Depression seems to take all forms and laymen like ourselves are hardly capable of diagnosing it, much less understanding it. But maybe this is what is wrong with Phil Brooks....and if it is, he's better off away from the spotlight he spent his professional life pursuing. Of course, if he doesn't like fame, perhaps he shouldn't be making nationwide appearances on that "Talking Dead" panel and making other public appearances. But then, who's to say what form depression takes and how it appears to outsiders?

Or, perhaps it's not depression at all. Maybe he has toiled for years and years, trying to attain a position in his chosen field.....and having gotten there, he's decided that things should be done his way....and no other way....and when individuals and corporations don't want to do it his way, he takes his ball and goes home.

His whole WWE persona has revolved around "Voice of the Voiceless" and the position that he's the ultimate rebel, looking to call the shots and take down the establishment in his own unique fashion.

So, maybe he suffers from depression.....or maybe what we've seen as his ring persona is actually close to his real one.....and what we're witnessing is simply life imitating art.

I read a lot about depression when my family member went through his depression.

People who suffer depression come from all walks of life, and from all circumstances. You can be poor or you can be rich and successful.

Depression has little to do with circumstances. Even happy people, who have a lot to live for, can suffer depression, as it is a chemical imbalance in the brain, which tricks the sufferer to feel depressed even when all circumstances say that they should feel otherwise.

People with depression don't want to feel the way they do, and they can't just stop feeling it. It goes away on its own, and often medication is needed to bring back balance to the brain chemistry. There is still a lot unknown about it.

Men seem to suffer it more than women, but it only seems that way. Men are more likely to suicide because they don't feel that they can discuss it with others, whereas women often feel more about to tell someone.

Thankfully, my family member told our family, and as we are close, he was able to get support and recover, and is much better now.

Suicide can occur not because the patient wants to die, but they no longer want to live, and wake up feeling that way. They often don't believe they will ever feel better, so suicide seems the only way out.

Punk being in the "Walking Dead" on a set is different to performing in front of thousands of people. A depressed patient can have panic attacks when faced with crowds and under pressure to perform. Punk, if he were depressed, may feel uncomfortable performing in front of a crowd, if he doesn't know what may happen.

So, why could he perform before? Depression can lay dormant for years, and then something can trigger it. A change of circumstances can trigger it, but doesn't cause it, since it is a condition that the patient already has within their system (don't know why some have it and others don't). Maybe the change of leadership (Vince to Triple H), especially when the new guy doesn't get along with him, could be a trigger.

A poster above said that Punk had a good relationship with Vince, but not so much Triple H. This could play a part, along with other things, to bring the pre-existing condition on.

Also, wrestlers often don't have many friends backstage. Most are gunning for your position, and there are some false friends, who use you to climb the ladder.

I read that Chris Benoit suffered depression, and there is some thought that he turned to his best friend, Eddie Guerrero, who kept him in balance. Once Eddie died, and the fact that Eddie died, could have been part of what sent Benoit into a downward spiral.

Punk also doesn't use medication, which many patients use to stabilise things. If he doesn't, and he has this problem, it could take a whole lot longer and be a whole lot worse.

Look, I hope Punk doesn't have it. It is not something I wish on anyone. But recently in my country, a footballer walked out due to "personal problems" and "health issues". There is still a stigma, and I wrote this post partly to present the issue, and even though there are other explanations, and I hope those are right, C.M. Punk's actions do show some of the signs, so it made me wonder.