The most decorated Olympic swimmer needs no introduction. Michael Phelps may excel inside the swimming pool with all his fans uplifting him, but he still has his demons to fight inside his mind. The sports icon who left his beloved sport back in 2017 talks about a common issue. Mental health issues, which tend to also haunt a lot of sports icons were the topic of a recent conversation with Phelps.

The legend opened up about mental health challenges in an interview with Insider. Phelps also talks about the same issues that haunt sportspersons in all kinds of sports and how they impact their lives in a harsh way.

Nothing’s worth it if your brain isn’t at peace

This isn’t the first time the swimming legend has opened up about his past issues. Even with an unbeatable record-holding career, Phelps was easy prey to mental health problems. Once all of the pressure led him to consume copious amounts of alcohol and led him to some dark places.

During his prime, Phelps never felt like a human being. Rather, he felt like a machine that could only shine in the pools as programmed. All of his issues regarding his mental health kept piling up and it was only in his late 30s, that he spilled everything out. Today, he is thankful for all the therapy sessions he went through that changed his life completely.

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In a conversation with the Insider Phelps saod, “I think the stigma is still there, but the door is open a little bit to allow people to talk about it. It’s saving lives.” Phelps knows how many stereotypes there are that don’t allow people to speak up about these issues, but he is glad that they are changing. He is also pleased with how other athletes, such as Simone Biles, prioritized self-care during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

The stereotypes which even Michael Phelps was afraid of

The world carries a lot of stereotypes surrounding mental health. This played a huge role in Michael Phelps not opening up about his own mental health issues. He addresses how, if the issue had been acknowledged during his prime, it might have affected his career. People may not have accepted him for who he is.

The legend once felt that opening up would have been a sign of weakness, and he would have been devoured. Phelps wasn’t ready for it, as he didn’t want everything he had built to go downhill. Although stacking up his emotions didn’t help him, it led to a lot of other problems. When Phelps opened up about the issues he faced, he was surprised at the warmth and support he received. The swimmer is currently creating as much awareness about mental health as he does about physical health.

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What do you think of the issues addressed by Michael Phelps? Let us know in the comment section.