Athletes are usually expected to be prime examples of toughness, mental fortitude, and the peak of human evolution. For years, these often-called superhumans have found themselves as regulars of highlight reels, their faces plastered on walls, brands making them more famous, and icons and role models for those who want to follow in their footsteps.
But behind the glitz and glamour, the multi-million dollar mansions, extensive contracts, and lavish lifestyle, athletes are still humans. Yes, they might be stronger and faster than most of us, but at the end of the day, they still feel pain, they get tired, and they can be vulnerable to invisible forces that sometimes trigger them to break down.
MICHAEL PHELPS
Most would think that the 23-time Olympic gold medalist is practically a demi-god, but the swimming savant revealed in an interview with People Magazine that therapy saved his life.
This came after his second drunk driving arrest in 2014, where he found himself “in a very dark place.”
“It was the lowest point that I have been so far – I felt like I didn’t want to be alive,” he said.
Following this, Phelps decided to check himself into a treatment center to help him fend off his demons. Since then, he has been a vocal advocate for mental health and became an ambassador for Talkspace, an online and mobile therapy platform where users can seek help from licensed therapists.
SIMONE BILES
In 2021, Simone Biles withdrew from the US Gymnastics team ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. While she said she was okay, she also added that she is “dealing with some things internally.”
People added that her withdrawal from the team is not injury-related, but Biles herself claimed an “almost overbearing amount of stress.” Had she continued to participate under the pressure, she was worried that she was risking the team’s medal chances.
“I just felt like it would be a little bit better to take a backseat, work on my mindfulness, and I knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job,” she said.
Two years after stepping away from the limelight, Biles returned to gymnastics and assured her fans that she has been taking care of her mental health.
“I go once a week for almost 2 hrs. I’ve had so much trauma, so being able to work on some of the traumas & work on healing is a blessing,” Biles posted on Instagram in 2023.
NOAH LYLES
Known to be one of the biggest names in the world of track and field, Noah Lyles is notorious for being loud, proud, and wants the attention of the world to focus on him.
Lyles has been very vocal about his struggles. He admitted that he has asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression at a young age before turning pro in 2016, together with his brother Josephus.
His struggle with his mental health began in 2019. It was his first foray at the outdoor world championships in Doha, and after living in hotel rooms, Lyles became homesick. Sporting News reported that even winning the 200m sprint didn’t cheer him up.
“I just remember crossing the line being so empty,” he said.
The pandemic also didn’t help. Cheryl Tardosky-Anderson, Lyle’s longtime therapist, said that he “didn’t have that twinkle” shortly after the virus had taken over.
“I could barely talk. I was so tired. All the time. Even thinking was a drain. It felt like you were almost in a constant asthma attack. You know there’s more room in your lungs, but you can’t physically use the muscles to take that breath,” said Lyles, adding that the murder of George Floyd in 2020 made things worse.
“I just remember constantly thinking, That could be me,” he recalled.
