Williams Is Facing the Hidden Truth

As a running back for the New Orleans Saints, Ricky Williams would repeatedly hurl his body into a wall of 300-pound defensive linemen, yet he was too unnerved to take off his helmet during interviews. He would allow his mail to accumulate for days, fearful his neighbors were watching his every move. Even trips to the grocery store turned into harrowing ordeals.

"I would hide from people in the store," he said. "If I saw someone, or if I thought someone was looking at me, I'd run to the next aisle."

Williams, 25, who now plays for the Miami Dolphins, rapidly developed a reputation as one of the NFL's strangest players, a Heisman Trophy winner whose accomplishments on the field were eclipsed by his bizarre personal antics. It wasn't until a year ago that he was diagnosed with social-anxiety disorder, a syndrome that leaves sufferers with an intense fear of scrutiny by people in social situations. With therapy and medication, he has made what he and others believe are dramatic steps toward a normal lifestyle.

"I'm finally at peace with myself," he said Tuesday. "I'm getting through this. I'm definitely at a point where I can help a lot of people."

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, social-anxiety disorder, which affects about 5.3 million adult Americans, usually begins in childhood or early adolescence and can be treated successfully with targeted psychotherapy or medications.

Painfully shy since his childhood in San Diego, Williams said he did not feel the full effects of the disorder until his rookie season with the Saints. He sought therapy when he hit an emotional rock bottom a year ago, was diagnosed with the disorder and began taking Paxil, an antidepressant for which Williams is a spokesman.

Williams will discuss his disorder with reporters today in a national conference call. He is being paid to speak out about his problem by GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Paxil.

Speaking out also helps him lay the groundwork for a fresh start with the Dolphins, who traded for him in the off-season and see him as the missing piece for a franchise that has had only three 1,000-yard running backs since 1973. The Dolphins, who begin training camp Monday, sent New Orleans this year's first-round pick and a third-rounder next year that would escalate to a first-rounder if Williams rushes for 1,500 yards this season.