Michael Phelps is historically one of the best Olympic athletes of all time. The American swimmer has 23 medals and 23 of them are gold; However, those are just numbers when it comes to mental health.
During a conference at the World Business Forum #WOBI in Madrid, the athlete confessed how he lived with depression almost a decade ago, which was one of the moments that most marked his life both inside and outside the game.
“In 2014, I had my second bout of depression. I don’t want to live. I didn’t eat, I didn’t drink, I went to a recovery center. I fought for my life more than people can imagine. In those moments, if I was cursed, he would beat me because I thought ‘I don’t have a job,’” he said.
After this situation, Phelps went to a rehabilitation center and emphasized the importance of talking about mental problems that people suffer from in any field.
“If we all talk it’s something that can be normalized. Of course, with the pandemic this whole thing has improved. If someone feels alone, like it happened during the pandemic, it’s good to share their emotions. By sharing what happens to us and our feelings we can help each other a lot. Nothing is perfect in life, but it helps us open up,” he said.
After the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Michael Phelps decided to retire after becoming one of the best swimmers of all time with 28 Olympic medals and took the initiative to help people suffering from mental problems, especially of children.
“I want to help people who are struggling. I want to save lives. I have also thought about suicide and I want to help these people. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Talking about these issues saved my life. I love these themes. I want to do everything to help people who are struggling. “I want to remind people that they are not alone,” she said.
