Darts world champion Luke Humphries has revealed that he considered giving up the sport due to his mental health struggles.

Cool Hands has enjoyed a sensational 12 months, recently winning his fifth major ranking title with a comfortable victory at the 2024 World Matchplay. Humphries quickly asserted himself as one of the best in the business during that time, developing healthy rivalries with the likes of Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen.

However, Humphries may never have hit the heights that he has if he did not address his mental health struggles. The 29-year-old has opened up on his battles with anxiety since he started performing at the very top level.

Humphries believes that his struggles with anxiety began after he burst onto the scene at the World Championships with a victory over Rob Cross in 2019. He told the MODUS Super Series' official YouTube channel: “It wasn't at the levels of what it would be now, but I had a lot of media attention from that and that's when I think the anxiety crept in.

"I let it all get to my head thinking I've got to do this, I've got to do that and it started to throw me into this panic spiral. That's when it all started for me.

"The year after, I was getting it every day. I remember playing many games where I was 5-2, 5-3 up and the panic of just wanting to win so desperately came over me, my heart started pounding and I just couldn't wait to get off stage."

After considering walking away from the oche once and for all, Humphries opted to seek therapy, in what was a career-defining decision. He continued: “I sat there and I thought, can I be a professional dart player anymore? Can I do this? I was contemplating giving the game up. I'm certainly glad I didn't!

"I worked my way through it. I got some help with CBT - Cognitive Behaviour Therapy - and that was the key to me getting over it and realising that I didn't have to put this pressure on myself and I'm in a much healthier place now both physically and mentally.