Former Hearts striker Mauricio Pinilla has revealed the mental health battle which blighted his spell at Hearts.
The South American forward recalled how former owner Vladimir Romanov visited Chile to look for him after he returned home to seek treatment for depression.
Pinilla spent two weeks in a psychiatric clinic and admits he considered quitting football.
The now 37-year-old retired earlier this year following a career which never quite hit the heights he appeared destined for, having joined Inter Milan in 2003, although he did win 45 caps for his country and played in the 2014 World Cup.
He moved to Sporting Lisbon after Inter then headed to Tynecastle in a surprise loan in 2006.
But his time in Edinburgh was beset by knee injuries and he ended up only playing eight games for the Gorgie club, before rejuvenating his career in Italy with several Serie A clubs.
Pinilla has now revealed a remarkable story of why his time at Hearts didn't work out.
He said: "I always had this mentality that everything was easy for me, then I went to Scotland in 2006.
"From one day to the next I felt like I was drowning, I could not breathe. I had this feeling of death. I wanted to move house because I couldn't accept being there.
"So when I was at Hearts I ran away to Chile. I was admitted to a psychiatric clinic for two weeks.
"I was in such a bad moment in my life that I could not sleep. I wanted to stop playing football altogether.
"So I disappeared from Scotland, turned all my phones off and came home to Chile. My head wasn't right and I was depressed.
"The president of Hearts came looking for me in Chile with the sporting director and eventually found me. I agreed to return to Scotland and train again.
"Looking back, I also hid in alcohol. The worst thing for depression is drinking and that was my way out.
"The clinic was like a five-star hotel, except no one could leave.
"Finally, in 2008 I realised I had to start behaving because I had a daughter and I had to show responsibility towards her."
