Mental Health: The Battle That No One Can See

By Nate Marcus

Over the last few years, the subject of mental health has become a bigger topic of discussion across the world. But as the world moves towards having accessible resources available for people 24/7, the realm of sports does not have many good references for athletes who struggle with mental illness. I wanted to give young athletes a place to go to find stories that they could relate to. By seeing professional athletes or even someone who is their age struggling with mental illness they can learn from their example.

Kevin Love has been a star in the basketball world ever since his time at UCLA in 2007, but his struggles with mental health did not come out until 2018 when he had a mental breakdown in his own locker room before a game. He stated that he felt like “[he] was having a heart attack,” and “[he] had a moment where [he] thought [he] was going to die” (Melvin, 2018). Afterward, he revealed to the world that he had been battling mental illness for a good amount of time, but had kept it inside and under wraps. In order to spread his message about mental illness and the tolls it has taken on him, Love wrote a letter to The Players Tribune, a sports publication that gives first-person views on stories within the sports world. By sharing his story, Kevin Love was able to give the world a look inside the brain of a professional athlete in a way that had never been discussed before. By doing so, he let the world know that these people we put on pedestals because they can play games better than us are humans too. By seeing that even these superstars can suffer from the same problems that everyday people face, those that have similar circumstances can feel inspired to express themselves and seek help. In order to better himself, Love does daily check-ins and goes to therapy consistently to balance his mind. By completing these small tasks every day you can significantly reduce anxiety and the development of other mental illnesses.

Another star that has been an advocate for mental health is 24-year-old tennis champion Naomi Osaka. In recent years she has been criticized for not attending press conferences after wins because of her mental health. She was fined $15,000 and received threats of disqualification or suspension from many major tournaments if she did not talk to the press. Completely unbeknownst to Osaka, she had inspired thousands of people who struggle against mental illness to voice their struggles and seemingly overnight she became the face of athletes that battle mental health. Osaka also acted as a catalyst for many other athletes to share their own struggles. People like DeMar DeRozen, Michael Phelps, and Amanda Beard all helped Osaka by sharing their stories to show that the life of a professional athlete is not as easy as it sounds. Ever since she gained national attention, Osaka has been trying to fight for athletes to gain the option to skip media days if their mental state is not well.

As time goes on, a huge number of athletes, whether professional or casuals, are showing the world that the mental aspects of athletes are just as important as the physical. To many people, being strong mentally is more important than whatever you can do physically. Without a strong and healthy mind, it will be difficult for even the best athletes to compete at a high level. That is why it is important that athletes are able to share how they are feeling and how they have been in the past. As a former athlete that struggled with mental illness, I know that holding in your feelings never ends well, and can only lead to more problems. For the next generation of athletes throughout the world, they need to know that it is acceptable to have these illnesses and issues, and understand that they will never be alone in their fight. By using techniques and strategies like seeing a therapist or doing daily check-ins on yourself, young athletes will be able to reduce their chances of developing mental illness and help to rid themselves of it. The Naomi Osaka's and Kevin Love's of the world that spoke out and told their stories relating to mental health displayed a great amount of courage and are truly heroes.

Reach reporter Nate Marcus at natemar1@uw.edu.