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via Getty

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Rarely have we seen an athlete dominate a sport so much that almost all the records belong to just one person. Wayne Gretzky became revered in the Ice Hockey community, while Michael Jordan flew high in the Basketball world. Like these legendary athletes, the sport of swimming saw Michael Phelps grace the world with his superhuman abilities.

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While it seemed like nothing could phase Phelps on the outside, he struggled with a significant problem on the inside. Michael would battle his mental health issues throughout his career as he racked up one win after another. But keeping all the emotions bottled up within one can often lead to an outburst.

Michael Phelps could not control his anger in front of Nicole Johnson

In his years as an active professional swimmer, Michael Phelps won everything there was to win. He conquered every milestone and every opponent fairly easily. But there was one thing with which he struggled the most. Phelps’ mental health issues often got the better of him, with many people around him suffering the aftershocks of an upset Michael.

As his wife, Nicole Johnson would always be the first person to help Phelps through a tough time. But it also meant she would be the first person in the line of fire if things were to go south. Giving an example of the same in an interview in 2020, Phelps revealed how he had an outburst with Nicole facing his ugly side.

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Phelps said, “The other night, I had a blowup with Nicole, my wife. It wasn’t good. But at the same time, I was able to let out all those pent-up emotions. Sometimes you need that. It was hard. But I feel so much better today. Sometimes that’s just part of the process for me.”

READ MORE: ?It?s a Scary Beast?: Michael Phelps? Wife Nicole Johnson Gave Her Thoughts on Kids Taking Forward His Legacy During an Interview in 2019

While it may have been an ugly blowup, Nicole stood strong, as she knew it was important for Michael to let go of everything that had built up inside him. And Michael realized the importance of the process, too.

What does Phelps do to fight such feelings

Everyone has different ways of coping with what troubles them. For Michael, it is going to the gym “every day for at least 90 minutes.” After waking up anywhere between 5:15 and 7, Phelps only has the gym on his mind. If the time is closer to 7, he feeds his children before going to the gym.

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Missing even one day in the gym leads to Phelps getting into a negative pattern. Once he gets there, the process does not stop easily. Phelps holds himself responsible for the negativity around himself and takes it all out on himself.

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WATCH THIS STORY: From Simone Biles to Michael Phelps US Olympians Who Paid Hefty Tax on Their Gold Medals

While going to the gym may be a viable option for Michael Phelps, it may not work for another person. Contacting mhanational.org shall help people going through similar issues.