Rams receiver Puka Nacua had a difficult and challenging offseason. In an interview with Elle Duncan of Netflix prior to L.A.’s season-opening game against the 49ers, Nacua called his experiences the \u201cdarkest times I\u2019ve had in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nacua spent time in a holistic rehabilitation center. He was asked what he learned about himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I learned that I\u2019m very avoidant of conflict,\u201d Nacua said, \u201cwhich is very interesting due to the football nature of \u2014 I would like to say, I play very physical, just avoidant of the things that I know were causing me stress.\u201d<\/p>\n
Where did the stress come from? <\/p>\n
\u201cJust, I think, some of the change in lifestyle that came unto me, becoming a public figure, the stress of performing at a high level,\u201d Nacua said. \u201cAnd then I recently became a father. My son is 10 months old, and navigating that co-parenting relationship with his mother, I would kind of isolate myself to feel, like, the weight of all the issues and things that I have was stuck on my shoulders and not being willing to ask for help. I was never one to share my fears, my worries. I was always finding different ways to escape, I guess, from that tension or that stress.\u201d<\/p>\n
How did he deal with the stress? <\/p>\n
\u201cI think one, alcohol was definitely a thing for me. Just kind of drowning myself, so that the issues and the stress that I was feeling never had the opportunity to be addressed,\u201d Nacua said. \u201cBut right when I entered the rehabilitation center, I was able to have open and honest conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n