This time, the theme of World Mental Health Day (October 10) is “Mental Health at Work.” The WFMH council looks forward to launching the campaign aimed at prioritizing mental well-being in our professional spaces. Athlete Tara Davis-Woodhall, on the other hand, has written a lengthy post about the subject via Instagram. The Olympian has had her own experience fighting with her demons. This time, she has candidly let her fans know about her battle and the solution to come out of the issue. 

In her lengthy Instagram post, the American athlete wrote, “I’ve dealt with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts. If you’re dealing with this, do not be afraid to reach out for help. It is not a shame to be dealing with these unfamiliar emotions.” In her tough past, Tara had to go through episodes of “severe body dysmorphia.” The obsessive-compulsive-related disorder made her think that she lacked something with her body that others already had. In Tara’s case, it was her arch-rival, Ivana Spanovic! 

In the Budapest World Athletics Championships last year, Tara Davis-Woodhall couldn’t stop Ivana Spanovic from standing on the highest podium. The Serbian long jumper took away the gold when Tara had to settle for the silver medal. But later, the 25-year-old revealed that Spanovic’s figure had impressed her like nothing else. Additionally, she mentioned that she had learned the qualities necessary to become a champion by closely observing her opponent.

Afterward, the American long jumper incorporated several changes in her training schedule and daily routine to achieve such a physique. Achieving success wasn’t too far off. By making modifications to the drills and other essential components, Tara Davis-Woodhall successfully minimized the problems. The joy of feeling the changes made her say, “I feel good, I feel better, I feel that I can do special things.” Ultimately, she did ‘special things’ in Paris. 

In 2021, Tara Davis-Woodhall left the Olympic platform with a disappointing sixth-place finish in the women’s long jump final. However, she secured a decisive victory with a 7.10 jump in the final at the Paris Olympics. On the way of snagging the gold, she humbled her nemesis Malaika Mihambo, who remained 0.12 m short of touching her shadow. And what about Ivana Spanovic? 

In her fifth Olympics, the Serbian long jumper finished well short of the podium. Thus, Tara Davis-Woodhall has illustrated recovery from the depths of the depression. Taking a cue from that, the Olympian mentioned in her IG post, “Things will get better with time. I know it may seem like you are not stuck and there’s no way out but there’s more options out there I promise✨.”

“Our brains can create chaos that sometimes we don’t know how to manage and that’s okay. Some tips to help: talk to someone, self-care, and journaling. Journaling has saved my life. Writing things down to get it out of your head,” Tara Davis-Woodhall penned in an attempt to help those struggling out there. What could have been a better message than this on World Mental Health Day? However, she has had a few more stories to describe on her journey. 

Tara Davis-Woodhall’s surreal journey does not let her think about her achievement 

Hardly any American track and field sports fan can forget Tara Davis-Woodhall’s shouting and merriment at the Stade de France after her victory. The memory from August 8, 2024, will remain fresh in the memories. But Tara wants her fans to remember what it took her to reach the top of the chain. After landing her victory, the former Orange County athlete went into detail to describe her struggle. 

The continuous fight with mental health led her to concede, “I’ve overcome so much to get to this point, and I don’t think I realize right now I’m the Olympic champion.” Further, she added, “It’s been a very long journey.”

The first shake was present in her changing of the athletic folds- from the University of Georgia to the University of Texas in 2019-2020. During the COVID period, she was transferred to her new school, where she struggled to adjust at first.

Tara’s prolonged injury in her back region filled the rest of it. For her, everything was in the fast lane and she failed to catch up with the pace. The neat result was mental depression. However, at the University of Texas, the athlete found her medicine. 

“I began therapy and saw someone each week. I didn’t open up at first, but in month three, month four, I was truly opening up, sharing what I thought—how my world felt like it was crumbling (even though it wasn’t),” she mentioned. Therapy and opening up publicly helped her to overcome mental barriers. In her message today, Tara Davis-Woodhall has resonated with these actions again.