The 33-year-old was with Sunderland at the time and had his contract terminated with the north-east club in March - just 22 days after signing.
The defender has since been training semi-professionally in London but he admits his exile from the game has been hard to take and he has even contemplated suicide.
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Emmanuel Eboue spent seven years at Arsenal where he became a cult figure
Emmanuel Eboue trying to convert Jamie Redknapp to Christianity
"There are a lot of days when I don't feel like getting out of bed," he told the Daily Telegraph.
"One day I wanted to kill myself. My family keep me strong, it's them that I have to think about but if I was alone, I worry about what I'd have done to myself by now.
"There are times when I stay in my bedroom and don't come out. One, two days in that room. Alone.
"I lock the door and am just thinking. I spend a lot of my time reading the Bible and will say, 'Emmanuel, why are you doing that? It's no good for your family'."
Eboue's seven-year-old son Mathis is following in his father's footsteps and is signed to the Arsenal academy.
However, the Ivory Coast international has admitted he finds it tough taking him to training as the questions from the other parents worsen his depression.
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Emmanuel Eboue's Fifa ban involved his move from Arsenal to Turkish side Galatasaray
"My son Mathis is seven and plays for Arsenal’s academy. Every time I go there with him people ask me what’s going on and it makes it worse," Eboue added.
"'Emmanuel, have you retired?’ So I have to explain my situation. It makes me more depressed.
"The people who know me, when they see my face, they can tell I’m not happy. This is the lowest I’ve been in my career, it’s a bad time.”