Michael Phelps and the tale of the 28 Olympic medals he achieved, are not undercover. From a very young age, the athlete started his preparation for becoming the GOAT of swimming. However, to reach the peak, one has to survive several roadblocks and Phelps did it perfectly. Apart from professional obstacles, he also underwent mental health issues. 

The star swimmer once revealed the reason behind sharing his mental health struggles with the entire world. More than anything, Phelps looked forward to helping people fight their battle.

Mental Health Day needs the Michael Phelps inspiration

Continuously swimming for 25 years with complete dedication, and effort is insane. Michael Phelps is a name that carries the power to do so. At seven, the athlete realized his love for the sport and since 11, he started training under Bob Bowman, who turned out to be his best mentor. 

It’s the 21st century, yet the crowd is unaware of how to tackle somebody fighting mental health issues. Nonetheless, a few elite athletes, including Michael Phelps, have found a convenient way to inspire people to speak up for themselves. A taboo topic can be abolished only by talking about it. That is what the Flying Fish did. 

“Hopefully, I can save a life. I can help somebody else because I know that the feelings that I have, I had, what I go through every single day, every single week, every single month,” said the Olympic champ. “I know I’m not alone and I understand that for me it’s OK to not be OK.”

READ MORE: “You Didn’t Deserve”: Michael Phelps’ Rival Made a Bold Statement on His Iconic Win Denying Any ‘Science Fiction’ Like Supremacy

Phelps’ motive is to encourage every individual with his ‘struggle stories’. Furthermore, the more people talk about it, the more they’re normalizing it. His speech did not just help his fans and athletes, but the entire planet. 

Phelps shed some light on dealing with mental health issues

The Baltimore Bullet is also a mental health warrior now. Phelps suffered from ADHD and depression and knows what it takes to get out of the hole. During the pandemic, he once gave a small tip to those dealing with mental health problems.

He said, “But you know, I think that the best thing for me is I’ve been able to have the people that I love the most help me get through these times and you know for the people who are struggling, make sure you’re opening up and talking about it.”

Watch This Story: Swimming GOAT Michael Phelps dazzled his fans by sharing his stunning workout on Instagram

While the whole process can be extremely tiring, finding a safe shoulder to lean on is not a bad idea, according to the athlete. Opening up and talking about the issues is the best way to tackle them.