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This past weekend may have brought Americans the forty-third Super Bowl (and the Steelers a surprise last-minute win), but for former Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins, this past weekend marked six years since his uncontrolled addiction and bipolar disorder – and, of course, his infamous trip to Tijuana – effectively kicked into overdrive his long and winding path of an ended football career, police shootout, jail time, various stints in rehab facilities and probation violation.

However, despite a ruined football career and public scrutiny and ridicule, all is not dark and hopeless for Robbins. According to an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Robbins is doing well in the Houston substance-abuse treatment facility where he currently resides.

Going from big-time football star – going from big-time anything – to just another patient at your local rehab clinic can carry a crippling blow to the ol’ self-esteem. Yet, this time around, Robbins seems to be using the time away to make the most of his treatment. The San Francisco Chronicle article shows a Robbins who is aware of his mental illness and addiction problems and is working hard toward learning how to manage them and regain control of his life. He’s even thinking about possible plans for the future, such as coaching football and maybe even writing a book.

The man who took two shots to the torso and was charged with attempted murder isn’t curled up in the fetal position willing Death to make a speedy entrance. He’s considering plans for the future.

Whether it stems from uncontrolled drug or alcohol addiction, undiagnosed or untreated mental illness, or just plain bad judgment, we all lose our balance at some point. It may be a tiny stumble or a collapse of colossal proportions, but at some point in your life – I don’t care who you are – you’re going to trip up. We all do. We’re humans, and we’re a seriously imperfect lot.

Welcome to life.

Yet, these mistakes – however titanic they may be – can turn from roadblocks to speed bumps when we learn how to accept them for what they are and learn how to avoid them in the future.

Like Robbins, his wife Marisa is taking things one day at a time.

She knows that a lot of people don’t understand why she agrees to do interviews about their private torment. But she hopes that if she explains what she has seen, her husband’s illness won’t be dismissed as a weakness or an excuse for humiliating behavior.

Whether the rest of the world is dismissing Robbins’ behavior as a weakness or excuse, Robbins and his loved ones seem to have a pretty good grip on what’s going on. At this point in the game, that’s all that matters.

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    Last reviewed: 2 Feb 2009