Flex broke his neck in 94. Said that he when he went to the 95 Olympia as a spectator, that he wondered if he could stand onstage with Dorian and company. He was shook. So I can see why he said what he said.
Flex competed at the 1995 Olympia (he also competed at the 1995 Arnold).
Your recollection is that of the 1994 Olympia. Flex went to the 1994 Olympia as a spectator and he couldn't believe that he was once able to compete against the top guys.
I think that Flex is the type of guy that gets depressed when he is not on large amounts of steroids.
BTW: Yates admitted to suffering from depression after he retired.