Michael Phelps is heralded as one of the best swimmers in the world. The Olympic Swimmer has amassed 28 medals, including 23 golds. But it has not been easy as he has struggled with mental health challenges. Amidst this, he has forged an unusual friendship with a renowned sports journalist and NFL insider Jay Glazer. 

The two seem to share a deep connection because of their shared struggles with depression and the pressures of their careers resulting in fallouts. In a recent interview, Phelps opened up about how they support each other and how much this friendship helps him get through the hard times.

In a recent Instagram story, Michael Phelps shared a post from his friend Jay Glazer that read, “I always got you brother. We save each other,” adding, “#battlebuddies.” Glazers’s original post featured an interview of Phelps where he had been candid about his struggle with mental health in an interview with The Montag Group. They shared a snippet of the interview on their X account, writing, “Awesome to hear the impact of @JayGlazer and his message!”

In the clip, Phelps choked up when saying, “This is all fresh.” He continued, saying, “Jay Glazer and I are mental health buddies. We both struggle and when we’re having our bad days, we go through similar ups and downs. And we do similar things when we are down.” Phelps added that they reach out to each other often when the going gets hard.

Recently the two had a conversation where Phelps insisted that he is not a quitter, despite his mental battles. In his own words, “I will never quit anything, I will never give up.” It seems that he has many more goals to achieve, and he has a reliable friend Jay Glazer to turn to when he needs help. But exactly where do they strike a chord with each other?

Michael Phelps has an especially demanding career which requires him to travel and stay away from his family and support system for long periods of time. This is similar to Jay Glazer’s own problems as an NFL journalist. Glazer has also documented his mental health journey in the form of a book and a podcast. He is one of the few faces in sports journalism who have opened up about his depression.

The two have found solidarity in their similarities and often seek each other’s advice and help. In the interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Phelps told host Kristen Welker, “I have a couple of friendships like that where we’ve kind of been really able to form a bond.” In another interview, he said, “We can’t do this by ourselves,” adding, “We need the help from everyone.” Phelps has also spoken at length on several occasions about his struggles, inspiring others to take their mental battles seriously. 

Michael Phelps doing his part to dispel the stigma around mental health

Michael Phelps had once revealed that things became so bad at one point that he even contemplated suicide. He revealed that it went downhill for him during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. That’s when the first signs of depression started to form chips in his armor.

Though the 39-year-old recognized that all wasn’t right, Phelps ignored it. He feared it would make him appear weak and worried his competitors might exploit this vulnerability. For a long time, he viewed himself as only an Olympic swimmer and not a human being with physiological needs. However, he has since worked hard to be in top mental form. 

In 2008 he was photographed smoking from a bong. In response, he said his substance abuse was part of his coping strategy. In 2014, he was also suspended for 6 months from USA swimming after his second DUI. Eventually, Phelps sought professional help, which he mentioned was a game changer.

He credited therapy for saving his life. Stating, “The biggest thing is always communicating, that’s just something that’s so powerful.” Adding, “But to be honest, I’m happy I went; I’m happy I forced myself to go when I didn’t always want to go. Because I felt so much better when I left.” Through his foundation, the Michael Phelps foundation, he has expanded his advocacy efforts to include mental health awareness. Alongside his work in swimming and healthy lifestyle amongst the youth.

He has even inspired athletes like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles to speak out about their own battles. He said in an interview, “That’s the biggest thing I would say — never isolate, never shut down. Always open up, just ask questions, talk, and I think always remember that it’s okay to not be okay.” Michael Phelps has really made a difference by being honest and open about his depression, helping break the stigma around it in the sports world.