16 Times Athletes Opened Up About Their Mental Health

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16 Times Athletes Opened Up About Their Mental Health

Michael Phelps

The champion Olympic swimmer is a distinguished advocate for psychological well being, often sharing his struggles with nervousness and despair.

“Remedy saved my life,” Phelps declared in a 2022 interview with ipromiseyoumedia, detailing the occasions following his second drunk driving arrest in 2014 that led him to a darkish place on the peak of his profession. “It was the bottom level that I’ve been to to date — I felt like I did not wish to be alive.”

He continued, “At that second, I felt like the perfect factor for me to do was simply to finish my life as a result of I used to be inflicting different folks a lot ache — myself included. That is once I actually determined that I wanted assist.”

The 23-time Olympic gold medalist determined to maintain himself in a manner he by no means had earlier than.

“I checked myself right into a therapy heart, and afterward, I continued to see a therapist as a result of I noticed how a lot it helped me decrease my shoulders,” he shared. “It helped me really feel snug in my very own pores and skin, to be my genuine self.”

Reflecting on his expertise in remedy, Phelps instructed ipromiseyoumedia in Could 2023: “Popping out and actually speaking about in 2014 once I was trying suicide within the eye, it took me turning into susceptible to have an opportunity at this factor referred to as life.”

He added, “I did not know what remedy was going to do or not do for me, however I simply received to the purpose the place I mentioned, ‘I do not care what it seems like or what folks say — I wish to really feel higher,’ and I am any person that, if there’s 100 totally different roads that I can take, I will strive each single one among them.”

Chloe Kim

In January 2022, Chloe Kim recounted her expertise returning dwelling and embarking on a media tour after taking the gold medal within the halfpipe on the 2018 Winter Olympics. She revealed that she dumped the medal in a trash bin at her mother or father’s home after the Video games.

“I hated life,” she instructed TIME, explaining that she felt like she could not even go to eating places in her personal group after her success on the world stage with out being approached.

She continued, “It makes you offended. I simply needed a day the place I used to be left alone. And it is not possible. And I recognize that everybody loves and helps me, however I simply want folks may perceive what I used to be going by means of as much as that time.”

The Olympic snowboarder recalled: “Everybody was like, ‘I simply met her, and he or she’s such a bitch.’ I am not a bitch. I simply had probably the most exhausting two months of my life, and the minute I get dwelling, I am getting hassled. I simply wish to get my f—— ham and cheese sandwich and go.”

Kim has since discovered assets to assist her work by means of the challenges of life as an elite athlete, together with remedy, which she described to TIME as “liberating.”

“Simply with the ability to let these issues out that you just simply tuck in your little secret a part of your coronary heart helps lots … I really feel far more at peace now,” she mentioned.

The professional athlete later introduced in April 2022 that she’d be taking a “break” from snowboarding by means of 2023 to prioritize her psychological well being.

“[I] simply wish to sort of reset. [I] do not wish to get proper again into it after such a enjoyable however draining 12 months on the identical time, realizing that it was an Olympic 12 months,” Kim instructed Cheddar Information in 2022. “I simply wish to take pleasure in this second, take all of it in after which get again to it once I’m feeling prepared, however as of now, the plan is most positively to go after a 3rd medal.”

Simone Biles

On July 27, 2021, Biles withdrew from the gymnastics group finals on the Tokyo Olympics, revealing that she was struggling together with her psychological well being.

When requested about her choice to withdraw, Biles instructed reporters: “You normally do not hear me say issues like that as a result of I will normally persevere and push by means of issues, however to not price the group a medal. So that they have been like, ‘Okay, properly, if Simone says this, then we have to take it fairly severe.’ I had the proper folks round me to try this.”

“At the moment has been actually traumatic. We needed to work out this morning and it went okay. After which simply that five-and-a-half-hour wait or one thing, I used to be simply, like, shaking [and] may barely nap. I simply by no means felt like this at this level in a contest earlier than,” Biles continued. “And I attempted to exit right here and have enjoyable and heat up within the again, really feel a bit bit higher. However then as soon as I got here out I used to be like, ‘No, psychological just isn’t there.’ So I simply must let the ladies do it and give attention to myself.”

After Biles exited the group finals, her teammates Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee and Grace McCallum rallied to win a silver medal.

Biles defined: “I simply felt like it will be a bit bit higher to take a backseat, work on my mindfulness, and I knew that the ladies would do a fully nice job.”

“I do know they have been a bit bit anxious moving into, and feelings have been everywhere, however I believe they only wanted reassurance that they have been going to be okay,” she added. “They have been. They did it with out me and are Olympic silver medalists.”

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Two years after withdrawing from the competitors, Biles assured followers in her return to the game that she’s in higher spirits in the case of managing her psychological well being — all because of “[lots] of remedy.”

“I’m going as soon as every week for nearly 2 hrs,” she shared through a 2023 Instagram Story, responding to a fan’s query about managing her psychological well being. “I’ve had a lot trauma, so with the ability to work on a few of the traumas & work on therapeutic is a blessing.”

Naomi Osaka

Two-time Australian Open champion Osaka introduced forward of the 2021 French Open that she wouldn’t be doing post-match press to protect her psychological well being.

“I’ve usually felt that folks don’t have any regard for athletes’ psychological well being, and this rings very true at any time when I see a press convention or partake in a single,” she wrote in a since-deleted Instagram put up. “We’re usually sat there and requested questions that we have been requested a number of instances earlier than or requested questions that convey doubt into our minds, and I am simply not going to topic myself to folks that doubt me.”

She added: “I’ve watched many clips of athletes breaking down after a loss within the press room, and I do know you’ve gotten as properly. I consider that entire scenario is kicking an individual whereas [they’re] down, and I do not perceive the reasoning behind it.”

Whereas Osaka mentioned she would settle for the fines related together with her selection, she added that she hoped organizations would rethink that mandate.

“If the organizations assume that they’ll simply preserve saying, ‘Do press otherwise you’re gonna be fined,’ and proceed to disregard the psychological well being of the athletes which might be the centerpiece of their cooperation, then I simply gotta snort,” she concluded. “Anyhow, I hope the appreciable quantity that I get fined for this may go in direction of a psychological well being charity.”

Following her first-round French Open win over Patricia Maria Tig in 2021, Osaka was fined $15,000 for not taking part in media necessities. She subsequently withdrew from the Grand Slam match and issued a message on Instagram.

She opened up about her social nervousness within the prolonged put up, sharing, “Anybody that is aware of me is aware of I am introverted, and anybody that has seen me on the tournaments will discover that I am usually sporting headphones as that helps uninteresting my social nervousness.”

Osaka added: “Although the tennis press has all the time been form to me (and I wanna apologize particularly to all of the cool journalists who I’ll have harm), I’m not a pure public speaker and get large waves of hysteria earlier than I converse to the world’s media. I get actually nervous and discover it traumatic to all the time attempt to have interaction and provide the finest solutions I can.”

Osaka mentioned she does assume that “the foundations are fairly outdated in components.”

She concluded: “I wrote privately to the match apologizing and saying that I’d be very happy to talk with them after the match because the Slams are intense. I am gonna take a while away from the courtroom now, however when the time is true, I actually wish to work with the Tour to debate methods we will make issues higher for the gamers, press and followers.”

Gamers, together with Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova, instantly threw their assist behind the younger star.

Gracie Gold

The 2-time U.S. women determine skating champion and 2014 Olympic group bronze medalist introduced in 2017 that she would take a while off from determine skating to “search skilled assist.”

“My ardour for skating and coaching stays robust,” Gold mentioned in an announcement to USA At the moment. “Nevertheless, after latest struggles on and off the ice, I understand I would like to hunt some skilled assist and will probably be taking a while off whereas getting ready for my Grand Prix assignments.”

“This time will assist me turn out to be a stronger particular person, which I consider will probably be mirrored in my skating performances as properly,” she added.

Gold acquired therapy for nervousness, despair and an consuming dysfunction in 2017. She returned to skating in January 2020, competing within the U.S. Nationals, and shocked on the 2021 U.S. Determine Skating Championships.

In January 2024, main as much as the discharge of her candid memoir, Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Determine Skating, F—— Up, and Figuring It Out, Gold recounted to ipromiseyoumedia her experiences with a psychological well being disaster, residing with an consuming dysfunction and surviving sexual assault by the hands of a fellow skater.

Kevin Love

Miami Warmth ahead Kevin Love created the Kevin Love Fund in 2018 — which seeks to boost consciousness about kids experiencing psychological well being points — after writing an article for The Gamers’ Tribune explaining his struggles with psychological well being.

Within the article, Love opened up about experiencing a panic assault throughout a sport, which impressed the basketball participant to work on his psychological well being. Love mentioned his willingness to be open about his nervousness, telling ipromiseyoumedia in Could 2019: “It was a really robust 12 months for me away from the ground. Individuals do not even know the extent of it, however they know sufficient to be very relatable for me, having suffered from nervousness and despair my entire life, for so long as I can bear in mind.”

“What I’ve discovered about psychological well being or psychological sickness is that it takes many shapes and kinds,” he mentioned. “It goes with each demographic, however I believe, for myself, in creating my fund, the massive demographic I actually wish to level out and look to is kids. I believe it is rather necessary for teenagers and their dad and mom to know what’s going on, and that is why being right here is so necessary.”

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He added that basketball has all the time been a supply of consolation to him: “It’s a good stress reliever and a spot the place you might be freed. It was my past love, so basketball [has] all the time been my secure place, however I’d say most of the time, in a big majority of [the] time, [anxiety] has taken place away from the courtroom.”

Tacko Fall

Former NBA participant Tacko Fall spoke to ipromiseyoumedia about sustaining his psychological wellness in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Could 2020.

“For athletes, folks do not see that facet of us,” Fall shared on the time. “They solely see us on the courtroom competing each night time, having enjoyable, simply going out to followers and all the time placing [on] a smile. However generally, all that sort of stuff can get draining, and that is similar to the scenario proper now.”

He added: “Lots of people are out of their consolation zone, they usually’re not doing issues that they normally do, so it is one thing totally different for them. Sitting at dwelling is perhaps a bit miserable.”

Brandon Marshall

Former soccer star Brandon Marshall instructed ipromiseyoumedia in 2021 that at first of his NFL profession, he was susceptible to risky conduct.

“The dumb errors I made in school, the silly issues I’ve mentioned within the media,” he mentioned, “all of that led to me sitting down with my group, my agent and my assistant on the time, and saying, ‘Sure. It is time to get assist and never simply discuss remedy, however let’s determine if there is a program on the market.’ ”

In 2011, Marshall entered an outpatient program at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts for 3 months. He was later recognized with borderline character dysfunction.

Following the revelation, Marshall created Challenge 375, which is devoted to psychological well being schooling, assist and therapy. He additionally based Home of Athlete, a well being facility centered on the bodily and psychological wellness of athletes.

Dak Prescott

In April 2020, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott revealed that his older brother, Jace Prescott, had died by suicide. He mentioned that the loss of life of his brother, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, induced him to undergo the early phases of despair.

“All all through this quarantine and this offseason, I began experiencing feelings I’ve by no means felt earlier than,” Prescott mentioned. “Anxiousness for the principle one. After which, actually, a few days earlier than my brother handed, I’d say I began experiencing despair.”

At one level, Prescott mentioned he “did not wish to work out anymore” and “did not know essentially what I used to be going by means of, to say the least, and hadn’t been sleeping in any respect.”

The athlete concluded his message by encouraging others to be open about their struggles: “Our adversities, our struggles [and] what we undergo is all the time gonna be an excessive amount of for ourselves and possibly an excessive amount of for even one or two folks however by no means an excessive amount of for a group or … for folks within the household that you just love. So it’s important to share these items.”

Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers recommended Prescott’s candidness, calling the second “phenomenal.”

Rodgers instructed The Athletic in a 2020 interview with Matt Schneidman: “I believe it is nice. I noticed what Dak mentioned, and I applaud him. I believe it is phenomenal, him talking out as a result of that is true braveness and that is true power. It is not a weak spot in any respect.”

“Different folks’s opinions of ourselves have actually nothing to do with us. And different folks’s opinions of Dak don’t have anything to do with him. That is their very own incapacity to take care of their very own s—, most likely,” he added. “I believe that, on the naked minimal, it makes you extra relatable to folks: that we’ve got the identical struggles and the identical points and the identical needs to develop and alter and see issues in a greater, constructive gentle that so many individuals on the market do.”

Rodgers concluded: “I believe the extra that we will join with folks, particularly with conversations like this, the higher our society might be transferring ahead as a related society constructed round love and positivity.”

Laurie Hernandez

Olympic gold and silver medalist Laurie Hernandez — who has been open up to now about experiencing despair and an consuming dysfunction — instructed POPSUGAR in 2021 of her psychological well being journey, citing music, writing, studying and remedy for maintaining her in test amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and Tokyo Olympics.

“You are simply taking a stranger who is aware of nothing about you or your life or what you have been by means of, does not know anyone that you realize,” she mentioned of remedy. “And also you get to share simply all the things and go away it in that room once you’re completed. I believe that is great.”

Hernandez additionally instructed POPSUGAR that she has been on antidepressants since 2019, saying, “There isn’t any disgrace in that, and I used to be placing it off for some time as a result of despite the fact that I do not stigmatize it for different folks, I used to be doing it for myself.”

Noah Lyles

In an August 2020 put up on X (previously Twitter), American sprinter Noah Lyles opened up about his causes for taking antidepressants.

“Not too long ago, I made a decision to get on antidepressant treatment. That was probably the greatest choices I’ve made shortly,” he mentioned. “Since then I’ve been in a position to assume [without] the darkish undertone in thoughts of nothing issues. Thanks God for psychological Well being.”

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Hayden Hurst

“There may be this persona that you just’re an NFL participant, and also you’re nearly like a robotic. You simply present up on Sundays, and also you’re this large bodily particular person,” Los Angeles Chargers tight finish Hayden Hurst instructed Jada Pinkett Smith on Purple Desk Speak in December 2020.

“However I believe it is extra masculine to actually attain out for assist and say, ‘Hey, I’ve an issue, and I would like help right here,’ ” he continued.

The previous Atlanta Falcons participant had beforehand mentioned his expertise with despair, explaining in a few since-deleted movies posted to the group’s X account that his struggles first started whereas enjoying for a minor league baseball group affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates group.

“I did not have management like I usually did, after which, certain sufficient, I let a 95-mph fastball go, and it hit this child within the head,” Hurst mentioned. “For me, it was simply sheer embarrassment.”

The incident led him to depart baseball for a soccer profession. He’d gone on to play for the College of South Carolina however continued turning to medicine and alcohol to manage.

“One night time it simply caught as much as me,” Hurst continued, referring to his 2016 suicide try. “At that time, I needed out. I might fought for therefore lengthy, and I simply needed it to be over.”

He mentioned, “It was the perfect and the worst factor that is ever occurred in my life. I made a promise to myself, ‘I am not going to do that once more.’ For no matter cause, God regarded down on me and gave me a second shot at this factor.”

Aly Raisman

Two-time Olympian Aly Raisman opened up about how she’s cared for her psychological well being since retiring from gymnastics in 2020. In April 2021, CBS This Morning co-host Anthony Mason requested Raisman how she has reconnected with herself since retiring, and the previous gymnast gave a candid reply.

Raisman mentioned that beginning gymnastics at a younger age was in charge for her struggles with psychological well being: “My outcomes, or my value within the sport, is predicated off of what different folks consider me.”

She famous that it’s a “work in progress and therapeutic just isn’t one-size-fits-all.”

“I really feel in another way every day, nevertheless it’s been actually fascinating as a result of I went from being in the perfect form of my life, understanding six to seven hours some days, to actually, some days, not even with the ability to go for a 10-minute stroll exterior,” she continued. “I am nonetheless sort of making an attempt to navigate easy methods to totally get better, however I’ve realized the significance of being form to myself.”

Raisman added: “As a result of I’ve realized that once I’m actually stressed — once I’m having loads of nervousness — I am usually actually exhausting on myself, and it’s exhausting. I am certain anybody who’s watching who can relate to experiencing some kind of trauma or nervousness can acknowledge simply how exhausting it may be. So I’ve realized the significance of taking time for myself every day and prioritizing my psychological well being.”

In November 2022, the retired gymnast spoke to ipromiseyoumedia about how having fun with her private life has improved her psychological well being.

“I am additionally realizing as I am getting older that I am positively turning into somebody who wants extra alone time,” Raisman mentioned. “I am studying to prioritize that, which incorporates spending time with my canine, Mylo, who I am simply so in love with.”

That very same month, Raisman was honored with the 2022 Hope Award for Despair Advocacy on the Hope for Despair Analysis Basis’s annual luncheon for her longtime psychological well being advocacy work and for talking overtly about her experiences with nervousness, despair and PTSD.

Michael Oher

Retired NFL participant (and the inspiration for 2009’s The Blind Facet) Michael Oher opened as much as ipromiseyoumedia in March 2021 about his psychological well being and therapeutic from childhood trauma.

“I am nonetheless traumatized, and I nonetheless take care of issues that I handled as a child,” Oher instructed ipromiseyoumedia. “For those who’re nonetheless coping with trauma, [therapy] is unquestionably wanted early on, as a result of I had to try this to get again wholesome.”

He added, “The thoughts is probably the most highly effective factor, and it needs to be wholesome to achieve success. I bottled a lot stuff up all through my life. I carried that with me, and I believe it harm me in the long term. That could be the one factor holding you again from being the place you wish to be: speaking to any person.”

Jordan Chiles

Earlier than turning into an Olympic gold medalist on the 2024 Summer season Olympics, Chiles practically stop gymnastics after putting eleventh within the all-around competitors at nationals in 2018.

“I didn’t assume the game needed me anymore,” she instructed The New York Occasions in 2021 of the expertise. “So I went in the other way.”

It wasn’t till she discovered power in in search of assist that she gained a brand new perspective.

“It took me some time to truly ask for assist as a result of my sport does educate us to be unbiased,” she instructed Teen Vogue in a 2024 interview. “However once I lastly did, I used to be relaxed with my psychological well being and with the ability to say, ‘It is okay to ask for assist.’ ”

“I really feel extra assured in myself, and I will be the Jordan that I’ve all the time needed to be once I first began gymnastics,” Chiles added.

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