"I’ve dealt with depression"- Tara Davis-Woodhall makes revelation as she urges people to speak up for their mental health

On the important day of World Mental Health, Tara Davis-Woodhall weighed in on the importance of reaching out for help and addressing the stigma. Davis-Woodhall also reflected on her journey toward healing.

The American long jumper recently proved her prospects at the Paris Games by securing a gold medal in the event by recording a stunning jump of 7.10m, surpassing Maliaka Mihambo and Jasmine Moore, who posted 6.98m and 6.96m, respectively.

However, her journey to the glorious feat has not been a sweet ride all along. The Olympic gold medalist navigated critical and suicidal thoughts and struggled with severe body dysmorphia.

On the occasion of "World Mental Health Day", the theme of which was "Mental Health in the Workplace," Davis-Woodhall emphasized the importance of acknowledging unfamiliar emotions. She encouraged individuals to speak up about their struggles.

"Today is World Mental Health Day," she wrote. "Mental health to me is so important. I’ve dealt with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts. If you’re dealing with this do not be afraid to reach out for help. It is not a shame to be dealing with these unfamiliar emotions. Our brains can create chaos that sometimes we don’t know how to manage and that’s okay."

Davis-Woodhall also shared a few practices to navigate the challenges and wrote:

"Some tips to help: talk to someone, self-care, and journaling. Journaling has saved my life. Writing things down to get it out of your head. Things will get better with time. I know it may seem like you are not stuck and there’s no way out but there’s more options out there I promise✨"

"We all struggle with something" - Tara Davis-Woodhall opens up on her mental health struggles

Tara Davis-Woodhall celebrates winning the gold medal in the Women's Long Jump Final during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Photo via Getty Images)

During the press conference ahead of the Rome Diamond League this year, Tara Davis-Woodhall opened up about her mental health struggles.

She acknowledged her bad habits in the past and hoped that by opening up about her struggles with mental health she hopes to inspire others.

"I feel like I am here for a reason and whatever that reason is I am going to show my smile and share the joy of life. I think that, you know, we all struggle with something and if I'm able to voice my opinion on mental health, or voice that I struggled to, I feel like that could, you know inspire...not just women, but everyone in the world to just, you know, be themselves and go out."

At the Rome Diamond League, Tara Davis-Woodhall dominated the event with a 7.02m jump.