Athletes Who Were Open About Mental Health Issues

The conversation around the impact of mental health on athletes is fairly new but could be saving lives.

The conversation around mental health in sports is fairly new — and it could be saving a whole generation of athletes from suffering in silence.

For decades, sports fans looked at athletes who openly talked about depression and anxiety as “weak” — the antithesis to the idea of the strong, silent athlete from years long gone by. It turns out athletes brave enough to be open about their struggles show true strength.

No one should suffer alone. If you’re dealing with mental health issues, you can be assured someone out there is facing something similar. When the most popular athletes in the world can talk about these challenges, it shines a light on an issue that impacts everyone in our society.

Here are a few notable athletes who have been open about their struggles with mental health.

Michael Phelps, Swimming

Lee Jin-man / AP Photo

Born: June 30, 1985 (Baltimore, Maryland)

Career: 2000-2016

Career highlights: 23-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016), three-time Olympic silver medalist (2012, 2016), 26-time World Champion (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011), Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (2008), two-time AP Male Athlete of the Year (2008, 2012)

Bottom Line: Michael Phelps

Evan Agostini / AP Photo

No athlete has done more for mental health advocacy than swimmer Michael Phelps, a Baltimore native who holds records for most Olympic gold medals and most Olympic gold medals in individual events.

Phelps, who first swam in the Olympics in 2000 at just 15 years old, was the youngest Olympian since 1932 and was arguably the biggest sports star in the world following Olympic gold medal wins in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. Each time, he found himself falling into a deep depression after the spotlight faded.

Phelps turned to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate and told CNN in 2018 that he even contemplated taking his own life. Since his career ended, he’s been one of the leaders in the arena of mental health and has incorporated it into his own Michael Phelps Foundation and his ongoing work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Abby Wambach, Soccer

Rich Schultz / AP Photo

Born: June 2, 1980 (Rochester, New York)

Career: 1998-2015

Career highlights: NCAA National Champion (1998), four-time SEC champion (1998-2001), SEC Freshman of the Year (1998), four-time All-SEC (1998-2001), two-time SEC Player of the Year (2000, 2001), two-time SEC Tournament MVP (20001, 2001), three-time NCAA All-American (1999-2001), two-time NCAA Final Four (1998, 2001), University of Florida Athletics Hall of Fame, six-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year (2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013), WUSA Rookie of the Year (2002), FIFA World Player of the Year (2012), FIFA Women’s World Cup champion (2015), two-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2012), FIFA Women’s World Cup Bronze Boot (2011), FIFA Women’s World Cup Silver Ball (2011), AP Female Athlete of the Year (2011)

Bottom Line: Abby Wambach

Martin Meissner / AP Photo

Abby Wambach has a place among the greatest soccer players of all time, winning a national champiomship at the University of Florida followed by a Women’s World Cup for the U.S. Women’s National Team.

The 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year has brought the issue of mental health to the forefront of women’s sports in a big way. Following her retirement from soccer in 2015, Wambach found herself addicted to alcohol and a variety of drugs; self-medication for a body racked from years of damage from playing soccer at the highest level. Wambach’s autobiography, “Forward” was released in 2016 and detailed her recovery from substance abuse and her issues with mental health as well — it was a New York Times bestseller.

Justin Duchscherer, Baseball

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Justin Duchscherer

Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Born: November 19, 1977 (Aberdeen, South Dakota)

Career: 2001-08, 2010

Career highlights: Two-time MLB All-Star (2005, 2008)

Bottom Line: Justin Duchscherer

Eric Risberg / AP Photo

Few sports have as many “unwritten” rules as baseball, which extends to every level of the sport from Little League up to Major League Baseball. Two-time All-Star pitcher Justin Duchsherer — “The Duke of Hurl” — knew all the rules from a young age. He also understood how ridiculous they were.

In 2009, Duchscherer was struggling with rehab from an injury as well as a divorce when he realized he needed help. He made the brave decision to call the team psychologist for the Oakland A’s and was diagnosed with clinical depression shortly after.

Duchscherer stepped away from baseball to focus on his mental health and spend more time with his young son.

“I thought once I got to the big leagues and made my first million dollars, that’s where true happiness was,” Duchscherer told ESPN in 2009. “It’s not the case. You’re going to have the same emotions whether you have a million dollars or five dollars in the bank.”

Chloe Kim, Snowboarding

Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP Photo

Born: April 23, 2000 (Long Beach, California)

Career: 2015-present

Career highlights: Two-time Olympic gold medalist (2018, 2022), two-time World Champion (2019, 2021), five-time Winter X-Games gold medalist (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021), ESPY Best Female Athlete (2018), ESPY Best Female Olympian (2018), ESPY Best Female Action Sports Athlete (2018)

Bottom Line: Chloe Kim

Evan Agostini / AP Photo

Chloe Kim was just 17 years old when she became the youngest Olympian ever to win a gold medal in snowboarding — a moment in which she should have been on top of the world.

It was the opposite. When the general public saw the California native, they didn’t see the struggles that had brought her to that moment: the monastic training life and the inherent racism that came with being an Asian American excelling in almost all-white sport.

“I hated life,” Kim told TIME magazine. “It makes you angry. I just wanted a day where I was left alone.”

Kim turned her anger into a powerful voice on behalf of anti-Asian violence in the U.S. following the pandemic. She also began to advocate for diversity and inclusion in sports.

“I’ve received so many messages from people saying they are inspired by me sharing what I’ve been through,” Kim told ESPN. “That makes me feel hopeful, and like I can still do so much more.”

DeMar Derozan, Basketball

Nam Y. Huh / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 7, 1989 (Compton, California)

Career: 2009-present

Career highlights: Six-time NBA All-Star (2014, 2016-18, 2022, 2023), three-time All-NBA Team (2017, 2018, 2022), Pac-10 Tournament MVP (2009), Pac-10 All-Freshman Team (2009), Parade All-American (2008), McDonald’s All-American (2008)

Bottom Line: Demar Derozan

John Locher / AP Photo

DeMar DeRozan created a legacy that will extend far beyond his NBA career in 2018 when he first spoke about his issues with mental health and depression — beginning with a tweet in February 2017 quoting a Kevin Gates song: “This depression get the best of me.”

“It’s one of them things that no matter how indestructible we look like we are, we’re all human at the end of the day,” DeRozan told The Toronto Star a few days after the tweet. “We all got feelings … all of that. Sometimes it gets the best of you, where times everything in the whole world’s on top of you.”

DeRozan’s bravery led to NBA star Kevin Love revealing he, too, had also dealt with severe depression during his career. Their openness led to a new rule that requires every NBA team to have at least one full-time licensed mental health professional on their staff.

Simone Biles, Gymnastics

Gregory Bull / AP Photo

Born: March 14, 1997 (Columbus, Ohio)

Career: 2012-present

Career highlights: Four-time Olympic gold medalist (2016), Olympic silver medalist (2020), 19-time World Champion (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019)

Bottom Line: Simone Biles

Morry Gash / AP Photo

With the entire world watching, Simone Biles made the decision to withdraw from the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021) — in the midst of the team finals and before the individual all-around competition after making several mistakes in qualifying.

Biles’ decision was triggered by a desire to protect her mental health. She was also experiencing “the twisties” — a dangerous phenomenon in which gymnasts lose spatial awareness while attempting flips, which can lead to catastrophic injuries. Biles said she was inspired by tennis star Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from several tournaments in order to protect her mental health.

Dak Prescott, Football

Adam Hunger / AP Photo

Born: July 29, 1993 (Sulphur, Louisiana)

Career: 2016-present

Career highlights: Two-time Pro Bowl (2016, 2018), NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2016), PFWA All-Rookie Team (2016), Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2022), two-time All-SEC (2014, 2015)

Bottom Line: Dak Prescott

Ashley Landis / AP Photo

Before the 2020 season, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott took time to deal with his mental health and was open about that process. It was an incredibly brave move in the “win-at-all-costs” NFL, where opponents look to exploit any perceived weakness.

Prescott, who signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in 2021, was dealing with depression and anxiety following the suicide of his older brother, Jace, and stress caused by the pandemic. Prescott’s mother died in 2013 while he was in college at Mississippi State.

“When you have thoughts that you’ve never had, I think that’s more so than anything a chance to realize it and recognize it, to be vulnerable about it,” Prescott told ESPN. “Talked to my family, talked to the people around me simply as I did at the time. Some of them obviously had dealt with it before, was able to have those conversations and then reach out further just to more people.”

Naomi Osaka, Tennis

Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 16, 1997 (Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan)

Career: 2013-present

Career highlights: Two-time Australian Open champion (2019, 2021), two-time US Open champion (2018, 2020), Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (2020)

Bottom Line: Naomi Osaka

Christophe Ena / AP Photo

Naomi Osaka won four Grand Slam singles titles from 2018 to 2021 — one each year — and in the process became one of the world’s wealthiest athletes.

Osaka was also fighting a private battle with depression and anxiety that was thrust into the public sphere after she withdrew from the 2021 French Open over concerns for her mental health. One month later, she pulled out of Wimbledon over the same issues.

Things came to a head in a loss to Leylah Fernandez at the US Open, with Osaka receiving a code violation for repeatedly throwing her racket and hitting a ball at a group of spectators.

“I’m not really sure why, (I did it),” Osaka said. “Recently I feel very anxious when things don’t go my way.”

Osaka took an indefinite leave from the sport but returned in 2022 to play at the Indian Wells Open, where she broke down in tears during a match after a heckler yelled “Osaka, you suck!”

Errick Miron, Football

Hans Deryk / AP Photo

Born: May 21, 1977 (San Diego, California)

Career: 1999-2003, 2005-11

Career highlights: Heisman Trophy (1998), two-time AP All-American (1997, 1998), AP College Football Player of the Year (1998), Sporting News College Football Player of the Year (1998), two-time Doak Walker Award winner (1997, 1998), two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (1997, 1998), three-time All-Big 12 (1996-98), NFL All-Pro (2002), Pro Bowl (2002)

Bottom Line: Errick Miron

Suzanne Plunkett / AP Photo

Heisman Trophy winner and NFL All-Pro running back Ricky Williams legally changed his name to Errick Miron in 2022. Miron’s first issues with mental health came to light during his rookie year when he conducted interviews with his helmet and visor on to avoid eye contact with reporters. Miron was relentlessly mocked for his “bizarre” behavior. Later, he would be diagnosed with depression, severe social anxiety disorder, avoidant personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder.

“I was 23, a millionaire, and had everything … yet I was never more unhappy in my life,” Miron told the Anxiety and Depression Association of America in 2019. “I felt extremely isolated … I had no idea what was wrong with me.”

Mirron has been one of the leading advocates in pro sports for the use of medicinal cannabis for decades and has shared his story of treatment through counseling, yoga and a specialized diet with millions of people.

Kevin Love, Basketball

Jim Mone / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 7, 1988 (Santa Monica, California)

Career: 2009-present

Career highlights: Two-time Parade All-American (2006, 2007), Gatorade National High School Player of the Year (2007), Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2007), AP All-American (2008), Pac-10 Player of the Year (2008), All-Pac-10 (2008), NBA champion (2016), five-time NBA All-Star (2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018), two-time All-NBA Team (2012, 2014), NBA Most Improved Player (2011), NBA All-Rookie Team (2009), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2012), Olympic gold medalist (2012)

Bottom Line: Kevin Love

Jack Dempsey / AP Photo

NBA superstar Kevin Love is one of the best power forwards to play in the last 20 years and a likely Hall of Famer once his career is over — he’s also been one of the most important advocates for mental health in the history of professional sports.

Love followed fellow NBA star DeMar DeRozan’s lead in early 2018 when he publicly disclosed he’d dealt with issues of depression, including a panic attack during a game in Nov. 2017. Love has continued to advocate for mental health in the years since. For one, he started the Kevin Love Fund to provide people with more tools and help for physical and emotional well-being.

“Mental health is an invisible thing, but it touches all of us at some point or another,” Love wrote in 2018 in The Players Tribune. “I want to remind you that you’re not weird or different for sharing what you’re going through.”