Top athletes bring mental health challenges into focus

Top athletes bring mental health challenges into focus

There has been a stigma attached to mental health challenges across all areas of life, which is beginning to decrease thanks to athletes, celebrities and business leaders who are brave enough to share their struggles, be vulnerable, and discuss the very real, life altering impacts of their trauma and illness. 

Competitive athletes, at all levels, realise that sport is a combination of mental and physical skills. Many of those athletes are seeking help and using the spotlight to share their mental health challenges and bring light to this worldwide struggle. Athletes have bravely faced competition throughout their careers, the harsh criticism from the public about their personal mental health struggles can often prove more daunting. It is an act of courage and bravery to be vulnerable and transparent about mental illness, and there have been many trailblazers along the way. 

As one brave athlete after another shares their mental health challenges they receive the attention of the media, the public and in so doing encourage others to share and seek professional help.

A world champion and two-time suicide attempt survivor 

Any story about sport and mental health would be remiss to exclude Graeme Obree, inspired a recent (and powerful) story in Cycling Weekly.  Obree, nicknamed ‘The Flying Scotsman’,  who twice held the world one hour track cycling record and twice won the individual pursuit world cycling title  has had a nearly life-long battle with depression, two suicide attempts, and the trauma arising from the death of his brother in a 2001 car accident.  Graeme Obree emerged from obscurity in July 1993 when he stunned the cycling world by smashing Francesco Moser’s World Hour Record. Yet with the glory and success ‘The Flying Scotsman’ found escape pedaling alone for miles on the roads as he rose to stardom on the cycling circuit. At the same time Obree created massive controversy in the professional cycling world with his unique riding style and his pioneering construction techniques—famously using washing-machine parts to complete the building of his “Old Faithful.” Yet all his sporting success was achieved in the shadow of mental illness and suicidal despair. The peaks and valleys of a high performance athlete were things that Obree knew very well. The adage that nobody knows the inner struggles of another rings particularly true with high performance athletes who seem to have everything, however, statistics show that one in 11 will be at risk of suicide, according to the article.  “They have all this spare time with no distractions or need for obsessive behaviour, which used to distract them from analysing their own life. For many sport stars, depression could be residing in them their whole life, but it’s been repressed due to training and competing,” Obree told Cycling Weekly. 

Being the best wasn’t enough to quell depression 

Clara Hughes tied with Cindy Klassen as Canada’s most decorated athlete, according to an article in the Thompson Citizen, placing in both winter and summer sports, including cycling and long-track speed skating.  Her exceptional career never dispelled the feelings she had carried since childhood, the inadequacy, depression and lingering issues from family dysfunction. She is now part of a larger effort called the Hope Forum, now in its eighth year, the event is organised by Hope North Suicide Prevention Committee in Thompson in order to “promote and encourage frank, open discussion about mental illness and mental health.”  To outsiders, her life must have seemed a dream, but as the article noted, those medals were earned “despite, and in some ways because of, her own mental health struggles and those of her family.”  A woman on a mission to break down the barriers to mental health assistance and shatter the stigma, she also presented a TedTalk style talk at the University of Calgary, which included “a frank discussion about her history of depression and an emotional plea to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness.”  

The low after the high of conquering

Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard, winner of the Tour de France in July, has largely faded from public view and from scheduled races in Denmark and Australia. Tens of thousands of fans that lined the streets of Copenhagen to greet him did not see the Tour de France winner. The sporting director of Vingegaard’s club, Jumbo Visma, recently explained to the media that Jonas had been having a ‘tough time.’  Quickstep cyclist Michael Morkov told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet that “there’s no doubt that he’s exhausted now.”  

Even elite sports coaches face an uphill mental health challenge 

The professional rugby world was just rocked by the death of rugby league star and head coach Paul Green. Sports media outlets were respectful of the family’s request for privacy in the early days after Green’s death, tactfully noting the sudden loss of Green without much speculation, simply stating that the family was left struggling to understand and asking for privacy. Although a statement was eventually released.  Researchers from the University of Melbourne published staggering findings from a study conducted in 2020. More than 40% of Olympic level coaches surveyed reported mental health symptoms at a level that would warrant professional treatment. However fewer than 6% reported seeking treatment at the time. “Despite facing immense pressure in their daily roles, the mental health needs of elite coaches have been largely neglected in public conversation,” according to the article.  There is a noticeable shift in the perception of athletes as they are now being celebrated for openly discussing mental health. The cultural shift toward recognising and treating mental health is viewed as real and necessary. Coaches remain forgotten in the conversation.  Former St Kilda player and Richmond coach Danny Frawley shared his challenges with anxiety and depression before his death. Former Essendon player and coach James Hird has also shared that he has had suicidal thoughts, but he was able to find crisis support and received inpatient treatment for depression. Still, many suffer silently as the tough and stoic persona of the elite coach gets perpetuated, according to the article in The Conversation.

Breaking the stigma is more than half the battle 

Hockey is an extremely demanding and rough sport; yet the physical damage gets the spotlight. What about the psychological and mental health challenges? The Montreal Canadians’ left winger Jonathan Drouin stepped away from the team during the playoff run for the Stanley Cup final, noting anxiety and insomnia that would sometimes lead to three straight nights with no sleep.  Montreal Canadien star goaltender Carey Price said he was going to a very dark place and voluntarily entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to help him deal with substance use. Noting that he needed to prioritise his health for himself and his family, he said he did what he needed to do, exactly what he encourages his children to do: ask for help when you need it.  “I am working through years of neglecting my own mental health, which will take some time to repair; all I can do is take it day by day. With that comes some uncertainty [about] when I will return to play,” he said in a statement, also noting that he has received overwhelming support and well-wishes from fans.  Dr. Karl Looper, the head of psychiatry at the Jewish General Hospital, said that often people suffer alone and feel isolated in their pain.  “They’re heroes, people who are celebrities or figures that are known in the media. To see it on the front page that somebody has really acknowledged suffering with a mental health problem and is now taking steps to do something about it is really very encouraging and moves everybody in the right direction,” Dr Looper told the Montreal Gazette. “It just shows you how mental health problems just strike across the board. Any cultural background, any socio-economic background.”

Thank you to those with the courage to speak 

A paradigm shift begins with a single brave person willing to be vulnerable. The domino effect is real, powerful and can alter the future of those listening in profound ways. Imagine a world where people can discuss mental health and illness as easily as they can a broken arm or an ACL injury, where the care of the mind receives as much attention and emphasis as care of the body. Imagine a day when the suicide rates of athletes, coaches, teenagers, military veterans, teachers, executives, parents, healthcare workers, police officer’s and all members of society plummets because we can be vulnerable with each other and seek help. We can heal together.  Thank you to those noted above, Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, Bailey Smith, Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios and Majak Daw and the many others for sharing experiences and encouraging society to accept, adapt, evolve, and start the healing journey. Thank you for contributing to breaking the stigma.