World Mental Health Day deserves to be celebrated in every field of life, including sports. On this day, people around the world come together to discuss mental health and encourage everyone to seek help whenever they feel they need it.
Professional athletes are not left out on this, as some of them have become the strongest voices in this movement. The view of the world towards mental health tends to change as a result of these people’s influence, courage, and even their openness. This article will bring to light some of these athletes and the impact they’ve created.
Naomi Osaka – Tennis Champion (Japan)
Through her discussions on her struggles with depression and anxiety, Naomi is one athlete that actually brought global attention and focus to the mental pressure faced by many athletes. She showed that protecting one’s mental health is a very valid choice, through her action of withdrawing from major tournaments.
She has launched awareness campaigns, shared messages of hope, and supported mental health in a non-profit organization. She did all these to highlight the importance of one’s mental health. Through her speeches, women of all colors and every sphere of life are encouraged to speak up and seek support.
Marcus Rashford – Footballer (UK)
He’s not only known for his football skills. Marcus is greatly known for his advocacy for children’s welfare and mental well-being. Just like others, he also uses his platform to talk about how poverty, stress, and lack of support can affect a young person’s mental health. He helps the government and communities to channel more attention to the mental health of young people. With millions of followers to his popularity, it amplifies his voice, to reach families, teachers, and even communities, across the world.
Michael Phelps – Olympic Swimmer (USA)
Michael is the most decorated Olympian in history, and he used his platform as a means to speak about depression, suicidal thoughts, and therapy. He did all these through his foundation, the Michael Phelps Foundation, which runs mental health education programs. Through his partnership with global organizations, he brings to our understanding that mental health can and should be treated like physical health problems. With his openness, male athletes have been cured of stigma, encouraging men to express their emotions and seek help, instead of keeping it all to themselves. Athletes go through a lot of stress and anxiety, mostly due to the pressure to perform their best. It is no surprise that Michael Phelps and other athletes are invested in assisting those in need of mental help, as they themselves can relate to it. Thankfully, there are various psychological techniques for athletes to help them manage stress, enhance their focus, and perform better.
Serena Williams – Tennis Champion (USA)
Through her voice, a lot of people have come to know things about postpartum emotions, stress, and emotional balance. On days like World Mental Health Day, she shares messages that can encourage mothers and women at large, to prioritize their mental well-being. Through her influence, the silence around women’s mental health has been broken, and she also challenges the idea people have about strong women, always hiding their struggles.
Serena’s commitment to mental health awareness is important around World Mental Health Day, where she encourages people through her stories and platform, especially women and mothers. She constantly reminds the world that the strongest people also have emotional struggles. This, in a sense, helps to remove stigma around talking about feelings, especially in environments that are competitive.
Kelvin Love – NBA Basketball Player (USA)
He has spoken publicly about his panic attacks and emotional struggles, which have made him a leading voice in the NBA on mental health. With the need to support mental health programs in schools and communities, he went ahead to create the Kelvin Love Fund. He is into promoting, educating, therapy access, and emotional honesty, especially among young men. Through his stories, changes often spark in the NBA, which in turn create better support systems for players. And this makes them understand that they can be better than what they are, at the moment.
The Global Impacts of These Athletes
Over the years, there have been profound ripple effects on these athletes.
- When fans and young athletes see their heroes speak openly about it, stigma decreases automatically.
- Counseling services and wellness policies are being implemented by sports organizations for the benefit of others as well.
- Communities are made aware that athletes face pressures from performance expectations to public scrutiny.
- Young people feel they are represented, and they understand that it is okay to talk about emotions, when necessary.
Conclusion
World Mental Health Day is a day for athletic survivors. These people who have seen basically everything, and they come together to show the world their scars and how others can learn from them. Athletes are humans, and most of the world champions today were once slaves to the torture of an ill mental health being. So, coming out to share their stories can be quite strengthening to those who are still going through the same. The athletes show the possibilities of coming out of struggles, instead of looking like it.