"It was hard for me to become vulnerable" - When Michael Phelps opened up about his decision to be public with his mental health struggles

In 2020, Michael Phelps, renowned for his dominance in the pool, talked about the impact when he opened up about his mental health struggles. In a candid conversation, the decorated swimming champion shared his struggles with depression and anxiety, highlighting the challenges of vulnerability that come with mental health battles.

The 23-time gold medalist hesitated to open up about his problem for years. Reflecting on his struggles, in an interview with Hindustan Times he shared:

"I’m gonna struggle with depression and anxiety my whole entire life. It’s what makes me, me. Ever since 2014, I’ve talked openly about it because it’s important to me because a lot of people are struggling with the same exact thing.

It was hard for me to ask for help, it was hard for me to become vulnerable and show that side of me. But once I did, it really allowed me to grow as a human, and that was the biggest thing for me, being able to understand that it’s ok to be not ok, it’s ok to be upset or sad."

Phelps is the most decorated swimmer in history, with 28 Olympic medals, including 23 golds, 3 silvers, and 2 bronzes. A five-time Olympian, he also earned 27 gold medals, 6 silvers, and 1 bronze at the World Championships between 2001 and 2011.

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Michael Phelps reflects on the emotional challenges of being a high-performing athlete

Swimming - Michael Phelps at Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 2 - Source: Getty

In May 2024, Michael Phelps reflected on his struggles with depression following the highs of his Olympic victories. He explained that his battle with depression began in 2004, after his success at the Athens Olympics. He also revealed that this post-Olympic depression resurfaced after the 2008 Beijing Games, following another major achievement in his career.

The Olympic champion won six gold medals and two bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, followed by eight golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Reflecting on his depression events, an interviewer asked (via NBC):

"When did you first realize you were really struggling with depression?"

Phelps replied:

"2004 was my first taste of post-Olympic depression. Coming off such a high, it's basically you get to the edge of the cliff and are like, 'Cool, now what?' I guess I got to wait four more years to have a chance to do it again. So for those who don't have a successful Olympics, those four years can feel like an absolute turn. So for me, 2004 was my first, 2008 was my second."

Michael Phelps retired from competitive swimming after the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he clinched five gold medals and one silver.