On Sunday, June 21, Atlanta police were called to a disturbance at the airport involving former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier. “The Diamond” was taken into custody after being aggressive with airport staff. Video of the incident later emerged revealing a drunken Poirier threatened police officers.
In an interview with “The Diary of a CEO,” Poirier opened up about the incident and revealed that he struggles with depression.
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“So, it’s Father’s Day. I felt good in the morning when I spent the morning with my kids. Then as I was traveling to work I felt that feeling again. It’s like a cloud in my head that I just can’t get out from under, so I started drinking and my emotions got the best of me. Got arrested. Did I just ruin everything I was working for? I don’t know yet,” Poirier said.
“I was angry at the world and I could not stop thinking about my father. He’s actually homeless right not. I try to help him out and he’s back out on the street. Not that anything’s an excuse but I wasn’t myself. And I never really spoke about it until right now but I’m back in therapy.
Poirier disclosed that his father is an alcoholic and has struggled with addiction for as long as he can remember. He attributes alcohol abuse to ruining his father’s life.
“On Father’s Day, I was traveling to work, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about my father, and I started drinking at the airport, and that’s what led to the incident,” Poirier explained. “I’ve been going to therapy and stuff like that. Years ago, I started going to therapy and when I started feeling better, I stopped practicing everything I learned through therapy. Then I felt that feeling again – I guess you can call it depression. I just didn’t feel well, and when I feel like that, I know I shouldn’t drink, and I drank anyway.
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“Not that my father or anything is an excuse – obviously, I did what I did. But I knew better in the moment when I’m feeling like that to drink. Alcohol has never benefited me, especially in times like that where I’m mentally not the best.”
“I’ve had bouts with depression throughout my career. But, man, when it hits me it’s bad,” Poirier said. “I really messed up.”
