Thanks for shining a light on this, Ryan. We’ve really done a disservice to athletes for generations, basically ignoring their mental health and focusing on their physical talents while we applaud them for being clutch, or for having ice in their veins, or for standing up to the pressures of top competition. They’re still humans—even the superhumans among us, like Michael Phelps.
Now, someone like Phelps has the means to seek the professional mental healthcare he needs, but what about the millions of child athletes who don’t yet have the coping skills or the means to deal with pressures put on them by adults?
There are thousands of examples of this, but I’ll just mention one of the most recent cases: Kamila Valieva. We can’t help but see the harm that’s being done to youths today in the pursuit of a bit of athletic glory. I’m all for the pursuit, but at what cost?
Thanks for shining a light on this, Ryan. We’ve really done a disservice to athletes for generations, basically ignoring their mental health and focusing on their physical talents while we applaud them for being clutch, or for having ice in their veins, or for standing up to the pressures of top competition. They’re still humans—even the superhumans among us, like Michael Phelps.
Now, someone like Phelps has the means to seek the professional mental healthcare he needs, but what about the millions of child athletes who don’t yet have the coping skills or the means to deal with pressures put on them by adults?
There are thousands of examples of this, but I’ll just mention one of the most recent cases: Kamila Valieva. We can’t help but see the harm that’s being done to youths today in the pursuit of a bit of athletic glory. I’m all for the pursuit, but at what cost?
Such an important topic; thanks for sharing
It’s too easy to ignore!