Mental Health Awareness

DYK that it's Mental Health Awareness month? After coming off an extremely stressful year, it's important to listen to the message being shared this month by NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Health): "You are not alone." Swimming is an incredibly tough sport, both physically and mentally. Even the highest level athletes struggle with their mental health. One of the most vocal swimmers when it comes to mental health is Michael Phelps. As he says, “There are others that are struggling and struggling very, very hard. It was wild to see that I wasn’t alone, but it also made me feel good because there were other people who could help me understand, it’s okay to not be okay.” And he's really not alone, many other Olympians, such as Allsion Schmitt, Shaun White, Bode Miller, and Lolo Jones have all spoken out on their struggles with mental health alongside Phelps.

And it's not just at the highest level. Check out this article to read responses from 98 collegiate swimmers when it comes to mental health and swimming. some stand out points are: 76% of swimmers spend too much time worrying about what might go wring in competition, 67% of swimmers feel unconfident when comparing themselves to other swimmers, and only 29% have a clear idea of what the need to do on a daily basis to succeed. The big takeaway is that you are NOT alone in your feelings, and not only is it okay, but it's completely normal to have these feelings and anxieties. This month is to help normalize the fact that mental health is the same as physical well being; if it is neglected, it can't improve, and it's okay to reach out for help, and there is always someone there for you. For more resources, this link https://www.onlinemswprograms.com/resources/mental-health-resourcesfor-athletes/ was proivided by USA Swimming, and has 45 different resources for all levels of athlete.