Michael Phelps, the swimming G.O.A.T, had an incredibly successful career that spanned more than two decades. Phelps left a lasting impression on the history of the sport, and his journey from being a youngster who disliked getting wet to becoming a legend is extraordinary.

Due to his extraordinary achievements, Phelps became a global icon and garnered millions of fans. However, even these successes were insufficient to address his concerns about his sense of self.

Ever since he sought help in the rehab facility in 2014, Phelps has been vocal about his battles with mental health. The 28-time Olympic medalist retired after the 2016 Rio Olympics. In HBO Sports Documentary, ?The Weight of Gold?, he shared his struggle with identity crisis post-retirement.

Michael Phelps faced all the struggles boldly

After retirement, Phelps focussed on coaching and spending time with family. That also got him thinking about his identity. In the documentary, he said, “Yeah, I won an s–t-ton of medals. I had a great career.” He continued, “So what? I thought of myself as ‘just a swimmer. Not a human being.”

He made a conscious effort to get over the phase and thinks that dealing with mental health is a daily practice. Phelps shared the importance of exercise and said, ?It helps me be the authentic me, the real me.” He continued that working out has been an integral part of his daily routine and, “I don’t think it’s ever going to change.”

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Furthermore, he shared that he swims twice or thrice a month, especially when he feels low. “It’s my calming mechanism,” he said. He also talked about his connection with water, stating, “I feel like it really connects everything in my body.”

Phelps appealed to people to not feel alone in their mental health struggles

The pandemic brought to the limelight a grim side of mental health issues, with more and more people reporting depression, anxiety, and struggles with feeling alone. In an interview, Phelps said, “I’ll be the first to admit my mental health has been scarier than it’s ever been throughout all of this.”

Phelps even wanted people to know that they are not alone and said, “For those who are struggling with mental health, know you’re not alone.” He continued that there are days he just wants to curl up and sit in a corner. While it is a herculean task to deal with it, he suggested taking a little step forward with one deep breath from time to time. “It really helps,” claimed Phelps.

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What are your thoughts on Phelps’ comments on mental health? Let us know.