Dartitis: The Psychological Barrier Preventing Darts Players from Releasing Their Throws

Kevin Painter, a former professional darts champion, has engaged in throwing darts nearly daily for four decades. During his career, he excelled under high-pressure situations, competing in top-tier tournaments and accumulating over £900,000 in prize winnings. However, earlier this year, he encountered an inability to physically release a dart from his hand when attempting a throw. He described the experience: “You’re in shock, I stood there for ages. I just couldn’t get my arm up to let go of the dart.” Mr. Painter was experiencing dartitis, a psychological ailment that prevents a player’s brain from allowing the release of a dart. For the 57-year-old, discovering a remedy for this condition became his newest endeavor. Dr. Linda Duffy, a professor of psychology at Middlesex University, stated that dartitis is “in the absence of any physical trauma, it’s purely psychological.” Dr. Duffy, who herself was the women’s world number one from 1982 to 1987 and also suffered from dartitis, commented, “I used to combat it with extra practice. It was heard of back in the day, but not many people spoke about it.” This condition has the potential to impact any darts player, regardless of whether they are a professional or an amateur. Jack Langston, a darts referee and online content creator, first encountered dartitis at the age of 12. He recalled, “There was a little pause just before I threw the dart.” Initially, this symptom was hardly perceptible, but it progressively worsened to the point where he required 60 seconds to throw three darts. By the time he was 13, he felt compelled to stop playing, believing his darts career had ended. Mr. Langston expressed the emotional toll: “You’re turning up and getting beat by people you know you should be beating,” and added, “It’s so demoralising. It’s a real mental struggle.” While each instance of dartitis is unique and lacks a singular cause, numerous players indicate that it stems from a fear of failing to hit the target. Kevin Painter explained, “It’s brought on by anxiety and stress.” He further elaborated, “Where others have panic attacks, for me it manifested as dartitis.” Dr. Duffy suggests that players often perceive dartitis as an issue exclusive to darts, possibly because of its name, leading them to believe it requires specialized treatments. She asserted, “It’s just another cognitive disorder, so it should be treated that way.” Dr. Duffy clarified, “The underlying mechanisms that cause dartitis are the same things that cause any other anxiety disorder.” Dr. Duffy advocates for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a method to help players redefine dartitis as an obstacle to be surmounted. Kevin Painter has been attempting to overcome the condition through both hypnotherapy and CBT, attending sessions with Chris O’Connor. Mr. O’Connor’s firm, Eccleston Park Hypnotherapy, holds the designation of official “hypnotherapy partner” for the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA). Mr. O’Connor described his sessions, explaining that patients recline on a sofa and are guided into a trance state. In this state, they are then “hit with all the confidence work and the motivation work.” He added, “It’s all about getting them to visualise an area of their life they want to improve.” Following eight sessions, it appeared that Kevin Painter’s dartitis was permanently resolved. However, the condition resurfaced two weeks later during a televised World Senior Darts tour match. He expressed his dismay, stating, “I was really, really disappointed,” and “I thought it had gone.” Mr. Painter is currently resuming his work with Mr. O’Connor to address the disorder for a lasting solution. Mr. O’Connor stated that the therapy he provides is customized for each individual client, incorporating a blend of Solution Focused Brief Therapy, hypnosis, and visualization techniques to eradicate dartitis. He further commented, “It’s results-based, with clients often noticing changes after just a few sessions.” Mr. O’Connor also mentioned, “I work with four world champions across UFC, darts, and snooker, and seven elite PDC darts players in the world top 30. So far, I have helped over 50 clients eliminate dartitis in the last two years.” In contrast to Kevin Painter, Jack Langston has successfully overcome his dartitis, achieving enduring positive outcomes. In January, the 31-year-old chose to switch to throwing with his left hand. He described this as “[It was] the biggest decision of my entire life playing darts.” This change proved effective, and within three months, he was victorious in amateur tournaments. Beyond his improved performance, Mr. Langston discovered an additional advantage: he no longer required alcohol to play. He recalled, “I used to shake if I didn’t have a beer I’d be so nervous,” and added, “If you’d have told me a year ago I’d play darts sober, I wouldn’t have believed you.” As part of his ongoing efforts to recover, Kevin Painter has also reduced his alcohol consumption. Although there is no confirmed connection between drinking and dartitis, this action underscores his resolve to explore all possible avenues to conquer the condition. He remarked, “It’s no secret everyone likes a drink when they play.” He further stated, “But you have to put the effort [into the treatment]. I like to go for a walk in the mornings to clear my head.” Mr. Painter commented on the support he has received, saying, “Everyone’s been very supportive.” He added, “I’ve spoken to so many people who have it or have had it. I wouldn’t have had those conversations if I didn’t get dartitis.”