“Had Dark Thoughts About Dying”: Bodybuilding Legend Once Revealed How Injuries and Illnesses Took a Toll on His Mental Health

Flex Wheeler may have never won the Mr. Olympia title. But that did not stop him from earning the title of ‘Sultan of Symmetry’. The four-time Arnold Classic winner is one of the best bodybuilders. However, his road to success was never easy. Known for his prolific aesthetics, during his active competitive years, the star could give his competitors a run for his life.

For Flex, the battle was more difficult. He did not just have to compete on the stage; for him, the battle was within – his mind. Flex had always been vocal about his mental trauma. He never shied away from speaking about it.

The difficult times that Flex had 

All that glitters is not gold. Difficulties surrounded Flex’s life. Having suffered various health setbacks, he had to give up his bodybuilding dreams. Thoughts haunted him. Speaking about it, he confessed, “I couldn’t go to sleep because I had dark thoughts about dying.”

He further added, “I wondered when people who passed away realized they were not here anymore.” Sharing the experience, he revealed, “I realized I’m not hearing.” However, he soon realized that he didn’t want to live that way.

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He hence made a choice. He said, “I don’t want that, so I decided to live as hard as I can and embrace life, the pain, and everything else.” However, his struggles helped him create a pseudo-identity that eventually crafted his path to success.

The pseudo-identity of Flex Wheeler

Kenneth Wheeler is Flex Wheeler’s real name. It took constant mental anguish for him to alter his public persona. He would occasionally feel guilty for not loving himself deeply enough to overcome his trauma. To embrace life to its fullest, Wheeler adopted the pseudo-character of ‘Flex’.

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Talking about it, he said, “I developed a character called Flex Wheeler who didn’t mind fighting and would hurt people if they wanted to make it happen.” For Flex, his unpleasant experiences came as a silver lining; his trauma ultimately forced him to change and become the best version of himself.