Michael Phelps might be the unrivaled GOAT of swimming, having won 28 Olympic medals, 23 of which are gold. But his impact on the world goes far beyond the swimming pool. A long-term advocate of mental health, Michael Phelps has previously opened up about the detrimental effects it has had on him. Now, in a recent Instagram post, Phelps addressed his millions of fans to once again share the importance of mental health and the need to bring such issues to the forefront.

Michael Phelps had once opened up about some of the dangerous thoughts he had owing to his mental health. He has stated once again just how important it is. He believes it should be given equal importance as physical well-being.

Michael Phelps and his long-term battle with mental health

Swimming legend Michael Phelps retired from professional swimming after the 2016 Rio Olympics with the most medal count in the history of the tournament. Phelps worked hard to earn those, but little did people know a separate battle he was fighting altogether in his mind. There was a time he even contemplated committing suicide. However, he has since broken out of the shackles of such issues and is now an active advocate for the same.

Recently, in his Instagram post, Phelps wrote, “Therapy has been a game-changer. It’s allowed me to be comfortable in my own skin, taught me about my emotions, and gave me the tools to communicate my feelings, my wants, and my needs. Let’s work on our mental health together while we continue to break down the stigma surrounding mental health and getting support. What do you celebrate about your mental health journey?” 

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For Phelps, therapy literally gave him a second lease on life. Phelps had gone to some darker place in his life, drinking copious amounts of alcohol and it was only due to therapy sessions, he returned to normalcy.

Therapy did a world of good to Phelps

Michael Phelps also attached a video alongside his Instagram post, in which he advocated the same and stressed its importance. He said, “For me therapy, changed my life. Had I not done therapy, I’m not sure I’d be here talking to you right now. Therapy allowed me to be comfortable in my own skin… Therapy taught me about my feelings, my emotions, and importantly how to communicate those”. Phelps’s shared this message to instill the serious implications of mental health issues and the importance of therapy to his 3.4 million Instagram followers.

Phelps also stated, “Let’s work on mental health just like we work on our physical health, and let’s be the best version of ourselves”. He urged people everywhere to take this seriously and treat it like they would treat their physical selves.

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