It’s OK Not to Be OK: Why Athletes Are Leading the Mental Health Conversation

For a long time, athletes were expected to be tough. They were supposed to push through pain, stay focused, keep their emotions in check and never let anyone see them struggle. In sports, showing vulnerability could sometimes be mistaken for weakness.

That mindset is beginning to change.

Today, some of the most recognizable athletes in the world are using their platforms to talk openly about mental health. They are speaking about anxiety, depression, burnout, pressure and the importance of asking for help. Their stories are changing the way we think about what it means to be strong, not only in sports, but in everyday life.

Athletes are not immune to mental health challenges. They are people first, and being successful does not make someone immune to difficult emotions or experiences.

Kevin Love knows that firsthand.

In 2018, the NBA champion opened up about experiencing a panic attack during a game. He later spoke publicly about his struggles with anxiety and depression and about the importance of taking mental health seriously.

What made Love’s story so powerful was not simply that he was an elite professional athlete talking about mental health. It was that he was willing to admit that something was wrong.

Athletes are often taught to control everything they can. They train their bodies, study their opponents and prepare for every possible situation. But mental health does not always work that way. Sometimes, despite everything going right on the outside, someone can still be struggling on the inside.

Love’s willingness to talk about his experience helped show that mental health challenges do not care how successful someone is. You can be an NBA champion and still experience anxiety. You can have a career that millions of people dream about and still have days when you do not feel okay.

Naomi Osaka helped take that conversation even further.

In 2021, Osaka stepped away from competition and openly discussed her struggles with depression and anxiety. Her decision sparked a major conversation about the expectations placed on professional athletes and whether athletes should always be expected to perform, speak to the media and remain available regardless of what they are experiencing personally.

There was criticism. There was also support.

But perhaps most importantly, there was conversation.

Osaka showed that protecting your mental health does not mean you are giving up. Sometimes it means recognizing that you need to take care of yourself before you can continue performing at your best.

That message is especially important for young athletes.

A high school or college athlete can feel pressure from coaches, parents, teammates, teachers and even themselves. They may feel like they have to constantly improve, earn playing time, maintain their grades, stay in shape and prove that they belong.

Sometimes, the pressure becomes difficult to carry.

And because athletes are often praised for being resilient, they may feel like admitting they are struggling somehow makes them less resilient.

It does not.

DeMar DeRozan helped make that clear when he publicly shared his experience with depression.

In 2018, DeRozan spoke about his struggles with depression while he was still one of the biggest names in professional basketball. His openness challenged one of the most common misconceptions about mental health: that success automatically makes people happy.

It does not.

Someone can have a great career, a loving family, financial security and accomplishments that others dream about and still struggle with their mental health.

You cannot always see what someone is carrying.

That is true for professional athletes, but it is also true for the student athlete sitting in a high school locker room or walking across a college campus.

Mental health is part of health.

That sounds simple, but sports have not always treated it that way.

If an athlete breaks a bone, everyone understands that they need time to recover. If they suffer a serious physical injury, nobody expects them to simply ignore it and get back on the field.

Mental health deserves that same level of attention.

That does not mean that every difficult day is a mental health disorder. Everyone experiences stress, disappointment and frustration. But when those feelings become overwhelming or begin affecting someone's everyday life, relationships, school or ability to enjoy the things they normally love, it may be time to ask for help.

For athletes, burnout can be particularly difficult to recognize.

Sports can become such a major part of someone's identity that taking a break can feel almost impossible. An athlete may start feeling exhausted, disconnected from their sport or constantly worried about performance. Something they once loved can begin to feel like another source of pressure.

Being tired after practice is normal.

Feeling like you have nothing left to give is different.

That is why recovery should not only mean taking care of sore muscles. Athletes also need time to mentally recover.

Parents and coaches can play a major role in making that possible.

Sometimes the best thing a parent can do is simply ask how their athlete is doing and actually listen to the answer. Instead of immediately asking about playing time, statistics or the final score, ask how they are feeling.

Instead of assuming that a teenager who suddenly seems withdrawn is simply having a bad attitude, check in.

Instead of telling an athlete to toughen up when they are struggling, remind them that asking for help is okay.

That support can make a bigger difference than people realize.

The same is true for coaches. Coaches have an enormous influence on the culture of a team. When athletes know that they can talk about what they are experiencing without being judged, they are more likely to speak up when they need support.

Mental health does not have to be a complicated conversation.

It can start with something as simple as, “How are you doing?”

And sometimes, that question needs to be asked more than once.

Athletes should also know that there are people and organizations available to help. The National Alliance on Mental Illness, the JED Foundation and Mental Health America all provide mental health education and resources for people who may be struggling.

If someone is experiencing a mental health crisis or having thoughts of suicide, that situation should always be taken seriously. In the United States, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential support by calling or texting 988.

The goal is not to make athletes afraid of mental health challenges. The goal is to make sure they know they do not have to face those challenges alone.

Maybe that is the biggest change athletes like Kevin Love, Naomi Osaka and DeMar DeRozan are helping create.

They are showing a generation of athletes that strength does not always look like pushing through.

Sometimes strength looks like being honest.

Sometimes it looks like taking a break.

Sometimes it looks like telling someone that you are struggling.

And sometimes it looks like asking for help.

Sports have always had the ability to influence people. Athletes inspire us with what they accomplish in competition, but they can also inspire us through the conversations they are willing to have away from the game.

When one athlete speaks openly about anxiety or depression, another athlete may feel less alone.

When a professional athlete admits that they needed help, a young athlete may feel more comfortable asking for it too.

That is how change happens.

At Beyond the Game Health, we believe athlete health means caring for the whole person. Physical health matters. Performance matters. Recovery matters. But mental health matters just as much.

The goal should never be to create athletes who are simply tough enough to hide when they are struggling.

The goal should be to create athletes who understand that taking care of their mental health is part of taking care of themselves.

Because sometimes, the strongest thing an athlete can say is also the simplest.

“I’m not okay right now.”

And knowing that it is okay to say those words can be the beginning of getting better.

Sources:

National Alliance on Mental Illness. Mental health education, support and resources. NAMI

JED Foundation. Mental health resources and support for young people. JED

Mental Health America. Mental health information, screening and resources. Mental Health America

National Institute of Mental Health. Mental health information and resources. NIMH

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Free and confidential crisis support. 988 Lifeline

Kevin Love Fund. Mental health advocacy and resources. Kevin Love Fund