“I Just Go Dark…I’m Moody”: Michael Phelps Once Revealed the Gloomiest and “Two Worst Months” of Every Year When He Is Even Scared of Himself

Mental health issues require time and effort and legend Michael Phelps recognizes that. The star was diagnosed with ADHD in his childhood and his battle with depression has been public for a while. Ever since his DUI arrest in 2014, the star took measures to help himself out of a mental downward spiral. A few years later, Phelps sat down to talk about his experiences. He revealed how working on one’s mental health is a constant job.

But what does the swimming legend do when he’s reminded of specific incidents? Phelps once opened up about how he tackled memories and seasons that would remind him of his dark past.

Darkest months in the life of Michael Phelps

The first hurdle regarding mental health, Phelps mentioned, was that the journey to improve was always ongoing. In a 2018 Men’s Health interview, he revealed how he was constantly struggling while learning more about himself. And although the journey brought him a lot of positive change, some memories would often drag him down from time to time. One of them was his arrest in 2014 for DUI.

Recalling some of his darkest times, Phelps mentioned how the months of October and November would bring back memories and were “the two worst months”. Since he faced two DUI arrests during those months, they have never been easy for the swimmer to cope with. He recalled, “I just go dark…I’m moody. Any one comment can set me off. It’s scary.”

Read More: “Looked at Myself as an Athlete Not a Human”- Michael Phelps Struggled With Finding Self Love During His Legendary Olympic Career

Nevertheless, the legend persisted in his journey. Going through the same memories every year could get taxing. Despite this, Phelps found some ways to cope with his feelings at the time. He would work out, do journalling, practice affirmations, and so on. All this helped him beat the negative thoughts that would otherwise overpower his judgment.

The legend had already established his own foundation in 2008. After advocating for mental health, the star expanded his foundation to include mental health care as well. He strongly believes in the well-being of people and aims to get rid of the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Phelps has come a long way since his darkest times, and he hopes to help others like him through various tools of advocacy.

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