"Michael Phelps and myself, we're talking about it for years" - Lindsey Vonn opens up about struggles in her mental health journey

Lindsey Vonn has addressed the importance of mental health in sports. The three-time Olympic medalist appreciates the fact that athletes are now openly talking about it, noting that she and Michael Phelps have been vocal about it for years.

Vonn is considered one of the most accomplished winter athletes of all time, having won three Olympic medals (one gold and two bronze) and eight World Championship medals (two gold, three silver, and three bronze). Her 82 World Cup victories stood as a world record until January of last year before her compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin surpassed it.

However, Vonn's alpine skiing career was not always smooth sailing, as she faced struggles with her mental health back in the day and spoke about them. The 39-year-old shared her opinions on mental health on Thursday, October 10, which is recognized as World Mental Health Day.

In a video posted by Laureus Sports on its Instagram handle, Vonn revealed that she has been dealing with mental health issues since she was 18. She noted that when she and the swimming legend Michael Phelps discussed the issues openly, many saw that as a weakness.

"The mental health side of sports is one that we're now becoming a lot more open about talking about," she said. "Michael Phelps and myself, we're talking about it for many years. A lot of people saw that as weakness, it's been a struggle. I've dealt with mental health issues since I was 18, dealing with depression and isolation."

"I'm happy that we're talking about it because it is a challenge, and I hope that athletes get more resources to really address certain issues that they have to make sure that they can move forward not just in sports but in life in a healthy way. I think that's the most important thing. We can deal with a lot of challenges, but sports is supposed to be helpful; it's not supposed to be hurtful," Lindsey Vonn added.

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When Lindsey Vonn shared her experience of being mocked for wearing makeup during races - "I got made fun of by my peers"

Lindsey Vonn at the 2024 Laureus World Sport Awards Madrid (Image via Getty)

In June of this year, Lindsey Vonn revealed that her fellow competitors made fun of her as she used to wear makeup during her races as it made her feel like she was skiing faster.

"I wore makeup when I started racing; no one was wearing makeup, and I got made fun of by my peers, by men. That was my way; I felt like it made me ski faster, which was definitely in my head, but you know, that was something that I felt like expressed my personality, and I never changed," Lindsey Vonn said via FIS Alpine's Instagram.

After years of representing the United States on the world stage, Lindsey Vonn retired from alpine skiing on February 10, 2019, following her bronze medal victory at the World Championships in Sweden.