Carlton star Harry McKay opens up on mental health struggles as he returns for AFL Gather Round

Star Carlton forward Harry McKay has opened up about his mental health struggles and said he is glad he put his hand up for help after weeks of trying to push through.

"Five or six weeks ago, (in) late Feb, (I) started feeling in not a great place mentally," McKay said in a touching conversation with his twin brother and Essendon defender Ben on the Ben and Harry podcast.

"And I think the most challenging part of that was me thinking I shouldn't be feeling the way I was ... everything in my world was in such a great place and that's why it was really scary. I guess you could say it was really irrational to feel like that."

As what he was grappling with worsened, McKay said he felt like he had to "put on a bit of a facade to pretend to be OK when I really wasn't".

"And that was really hard," McKay said.

"Especially as someone, as you'd know, as a male and as someone who would hang their hat on always turning up, being stoic, pushing through … but I had to put my hand up and say I needed some help."

Harry McKay of the Blues prepares to return for the Blues after a three-week absence. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)

The 27-year-old said the support he has received has been beyond his expectations, including from the club, those close to him, and the wider football world.

After three weeks away from AFL, he is preparing to make a return during Gather Round for Carlton's Saturday afternoon clash with West Coast.

He was a late withdrawal from the Blues' round two clash against Hawthorn, listed by the club as illness, and played last Saturday night for Carlton's VFL side. He has been back at training for more than a week.

"We can try and be stoic and push through and that's definitely how I'm wired a bit … on paper it made no sense, which probably added to the want to keep pushing through kind of thing, but the more you did (that), the worse you felt," McKay said.

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"So, I had to put my hand and say I needed some help and the moment I did that, the support has been so beautiful from partner, family, the wider football community and definitely everyone involved in my club.

"And I knew everyone would be great but it's blown me away how loving and caring and supportive everyone's been.

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"And I know there might be a lot of people listening to this who might be in similar situations or have been in similar situations, and knowing that there's so many people that care and love you and (are there to) put their arms around you, makes the world of difference."

Carlton coach Michael Voss has been a staunch defender of McKay taking time away from the game.

Ahead of the Blues' clash with Collingwood last Thursday night, Voss told reporters he won't "go into the 'H' stuff".

“The important thing for us is that we don’t get into dialogue weekly about where he’s at," Voss said.

"I think we’ve been pretty sound on our position as a club, that when he’s named in the team, he’ll be ready to go.”

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