How Athletes Are Breaking the Silence Around Mental Health

More and more players have peeled back the curtain to show us the struggles that they face and the pressures associated with being a star athlete, and helping to change the stigma around men and their emotional well-being

An overwhelming majority of the United States is of the opinion that we are facing a crisis. But not the crisis that you might be thinking, rather a mental health crisis. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, modern political stresses, and financial concerns it is easy to see why Americans are suffering. With rampant depression, suicide has been on the rise with nearly 800,000 people dying of suicide every year. Of these suicides, 90% have been linked to either depression or substance abuse (which can come as a result of depression itself).

Men, specifically, are being impacted by this growing and disturbing trend. Suicide death rates in men are 4-times higher than women, the second leading cause of death in men, and men are less likely to seek any help for their mental health ailments. The key takeaway is that American men are suffering and are not seeking help. It should not be a surprise then that more and more professional athletes have come forward and admitted that they have struggled with their mental health during their playing days and after retirement. But with their decision to speak up…