Dartitis, a mental condition that prevents players from releasing a dart, is a rare but devastating affliction that can strike at any time. Nathan Aspinall, a world title contender, recently opened up about his experience in the Sky Sports documentary Game of Throws, describing how it left him in tears.
Aspinall said the condition emerged suddenly: ‘All of a sudden out of nowhere I couldn’t throw my effing dart. I just couldn’t let it go.’ He explained that dartitis is ‘basically the fear of missing’, where a voice in the back of your head stops you from releasing the dart.
The condition can lead to intense frustration. Aspinall recounted losing a match 6-5 and then ‘absolutely smashing ten lumps of s*** out of the hand dryer’ in the toilet. He also described standing in shock for ages, unable to lift his arm to let go of the dart.
Dutch player Berry van Peer, who has also suffered from dartitis, noted that it can stem from being hypersensitive. ‘If you just walked by me and said “hey”, I would be like “oh Jesus, where did you come from?”’ he said. He found relief through positive thinking, visualisation, and removing negative thoughts.
Sports psychologists recommend focusing on past successes, visualising the throw, and concentrating on breathing as coping strategies. The condition is similar to the ‘yips’ seen in golf.
