By Jamie Lisanti — 2020
Simone Biles is one of many elite athletes dealing with the psychological impact of the pandemic. From the Olympics to the major pro leagues, athletes are finding different ways to cope.
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Experts I spoke with for this story pointed to a couple of reasons professional athletes are particularly susceptible to mental health issues.
In the documentary “The Weight of Gold,” Phelps presents a stark picture of the mental wear and tear Olympians endure.
Osaka’s mental health challenges are nothing new in her isolating sport. What is new is the acceptance she’ll face—and the paths back—if she takes a prolonged break.
In the past few weeks, my journey took an unexpected path but one that has taught me so much and helped me grow. I learned a couple of key lessons.
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Through the size of her platform, however, and her decision to choose well-being over pursuit of a Grand Slam title, Osaka offers the promise of bringing mental health awareness—both inside and outside of sports—to an entirely new level.
Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history with 28 medals, has acknowledged that after the 2012 games, his longtime depression was so overwhelming he thought about killing himself.
More athletes are reporting mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, psychiatric conditions and eating disorders.
A three-time U.S. champion in figure skating, Eliot Halverson is Colombian-born, was adopted and raised by a white Minnesotan family and is transgender non-binary.
Tennis star Naomi Osaka and Olympic gymnast Simone Biles were part of the movement in 2021 by athletes to amplify the need to pay closer attention to mental health issues which have inspired millions of athletes on all levels of play.
Representation is crucial. It shows LGBT people that they can live the life they want, regardless of their sexuality. It tells them they can be successful in their chosen career, whether that’s sport or business, irrespective of how they were born.