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Herschel Walker writes of mental illness

Former NFL running back Herschel Walker checks out the pits at the NASCAR NEXTEL Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC on May 20, 2006. (UPI Photo/Bob Carey)
Former NFL running back Herschel Walker checks out the pits at the NASCAR NEXTEL Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC on May 20, 2006. (UPI Photo/Bob Carey) | License Photo

WRIGHTSVILLE, Ga., April 15 (UPI) -- Former U.S. football star Herschel Walker says in his just-released book, "Breaking Free," he suffered from a multiple personality disorder.

His life went on the skids after his football career ended and when his now-former wife was expecting their son, Walker told CNN.

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His book is about coming to terms with dissociative identity disorder, a type of mental illness, the Heisman trophy winner said, adding he hopes to educate the readers and knock down stereotypes about the disorder.

"I didn't really learn about this until about 10 years ago," said Walker, speaking from Wrightsville, Ga. "My life was out of control. I was not happy, I was very sad, I was angry and I didn't understand why."

Components of a person's personality do not gel into one personality in dissociative identity disorder, experts said. Instead, one or another facet takes over, determining one's behavior at any given point.

When asked about how many personality facets he had, Walker said, "To be honest, I have no idea."

In the book, Walker talks about a dozen facets, or alters, describing them by role, such as the Hero, the Coach, the Enforcer, the Consoler, the Daredevil and the Warrior, CNN said.

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