Mark Allen opens up on mental health treatment as he thanks supporters after emotional snooker return

Allen made his competitive return to snooker on Tuesday after a five-month absence due to personal issues where he faced close friend, practise partner and fellow Antrim cueist Jordan Brown on home soil in the opening round of the 2026 Northern Ireland Open.

Former world number one Allen produced a classy clearance from the final red to pinch frame four by a single point and level up the tie at 2-2, but former Welsh Open champion Brown subsequently made breaks of 53 and 80 to score a 4-2 victory and advance at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

After the match, Allen did a live interview with TNT Sports where he was visibly distressed and suggested retirement from the sport. During the very emotional scenes, Allen opened up on feeling that he doesn’t have a future in snooker, and how he has been “just trying to survive”.

World number 65 Brown - who himself recently experienced trauma with the death of his mother in August - followed Allen on the microphone expressing his concern and love for his good pal, and how the awkward match was something he never wants to experience again.

“I see the light now” Allen showing signs of mental health improvement

On Wednesday morning, 12-time ranking event winner Allen posted on X (formerly Twitter) to explain the mental health treatment he has been receiving, and how he was discharged in time to play at his home professional event for potentially the last time - a tournament he memorably won in 2021 and 2022.

“A statement on yesterday….. Everything I said in that interview was true. However, rest assured I’m doing my best to turn things round” he wrote.

“I have been in a mental health clinic for the last 10 weeks, finally discharging so I could attempt to play in Belfast.

“I owed that to my family, in particular my daughter to see me play for what could be the last time….. I also owed it to the fans who have supported me throughout my 21 years on tour.”

It may have felt like a full circle moment for Allen who played his first match as a professional in 2005 at the Waterfront, where as a wildcard he wrote headlines in defeating Steve Davis and John Higgins in consecutive rounds before bowing out to Stephen Hendry in the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Trophy.

Former Masters and UK Champion Allen thanked officials from the World Snooker Tour who have been regularly checking in with him, his daughter, and staff and patients at the clinic he was being treated at.

The 40-year-old also paid tribute to friend Brown, and thanked everyone for their online wishes and text messages.

The post also pointed towards a positive future with his illness having shown signs of improvement. “I’m not ok, but I’m ok in that itself. I’ve been much worse in the last few months than you saw yesterday. I literally didn’t see a future in anything…..

“My daughter kept me going, the therapists, staff and all the other patients were amazing and helped me through some really dark days...I see the light now that I couldn’t see before but I do now. I also know it won’t happen overnight. I’m a work in progress!!!

“My fight and determination on the table has always been there for ones to see. I need to show those same fighting qualities off it now for a while.

“I have so much to live for and this is only the beginning of my new journey.”

Former European junior and amateur champion Allen has been near the top echelons of snooker for close to two decades now. Not part of the next two competitions on the calendar - the International Championship and Champion of Champions - the next event he could participate in is the 2026 UK Championship, the first Triple Crown of the season, and a title he won in 2022.

The main draw stages take place in York at the end of November, start of December.