A crisis point came in 2014 after a DUI arrest put Phelps at the center of a media frenzy that found him locked in his room, contemplating suicide. “Multiple days being in my room, not wanting to be alive, not really knowing what to do, where to go, who to turn to, being lost,” he recalls. “That’s when I actually asked for help.”
Michael Phelps in The Weight of Gold trailer.Michael Phelps
Since retiring after Rio, Phelps has taken on another role with the same dedication he gave to swimming: as an advocate for mental health. “I’ve seen firsthand how many athletes, how many humans are struggling just like I am,” he says. “The reason I’m still here today is because I’ve opened up and talked about things that are hard to talk about.”
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Michael Phelps at the 2016 Summer Olympics.Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Phelps, whoseMichael Phelps Foundationprovides water safety and health and wellness programs for youth around the world, has made a point of supporting fellow athletes who may be struggling, like former teammateRyan Lochteand skateboarderRyan Sheckler, who said the swimmer took “time out of his day to give me hope, experience, strength.”
Phelps has also spoken up for tennis starNaomi Osaka, who pulled out of the French Open citing mental health concerns. “It’s a powerful message,” he says of her decision. “I was applauding it. To see that she’s taking care of her physical health and her mental health equally is amazing.”
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Getting more people to value that is a mission Phelps says he’s putting all his energy into. “For me, this is more important than anything I’ve ever done in my career in the pool,” he says. “I want to save and help as many people as I possibly can.”
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go tosuicidepreventionlifeline.org.
source: people.com
