Being an Olympian is anything but easy. From grueling training hours to strict diets and towering levels of performance anxiety. So, it is not improbable that many top-class athletes can fall victim to the mental health blues. The GOAT of the swimming world, Michael Phelps, isn’t immune to this as well. And, he never shied away from talking about it.

And, as much as strength our beast may have, he is a human after all. Thus, once in a 2020 interview, Phelps opened up about his demons. He said that not only do his issues sometimes haunt him, he knows that there’s no hiding from them. Never for too long.

Michael Phelps gets candid about his struggles with mental health and media

As Michael sat against the reporter, Wayne Drehs, he said that much like any person who struggles with such issues, he may look strong even on his fragile days. Phelps first spoke about struggling with anxiety along with his ADHD back in 2016. Ever since then he’s been consistently vocal and according to him, ” It made life easier.” But, in the same vein, he also reminds us that how mental health isn’t an easy thing to cope with. He said, “The reality: I won’t ever be “cured.” This will never go away.”

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And, Phelps also emphasized that how a part of the reason for this reminder is the role of media. Ever since Michael opened up about his mental wellness issues, the media houses have taken every opportunity to talk about it. They have always attempted to put his experiences in a different light.

READ MORE: “Stand Up and Race”: Swimming Legend Michael Phelps Gives a Statement on Trans Athletes’ Inclusion in Paris Olympics

Phelps also opined that he’s always been under media’s scrutiny during his competitive life. “They dragged me through the dirt for everything I did wrong,” was his verdict.

The slippery slope of  repressed mental issues among Olympians

Case studies have shown that high-performing athletes such as Olympians are 24% more likely to have rocky mental health than others. And, most of this comes from all the sky-high expectations and the media probing. But, sadly most of these cases go unnoticed, as athletes refrain from opening up about such dicey topics in public.

But, in the last decade or so many more of performers are coming forth to discuss those things in open light. The conversation further got easier post-2021, when Simone Biles used her position as an Olympian to prioritize her mental health. She dropped out of the 2020 Summer Olympics, and her pals like Phelps gave her full support. So, while it was painful for sports fans to see Phelps recount his hard days, it is also a relief that times are changing.

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