In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week and Month 2023, ESPN has highlighted the stories of athletes, coaches, and other sports figures who have experienced personal battles with mental health. These individuals have used their platforms to openly discuss their experiences, what happened next, and what helped them on their journeys. The coverage reflects a broad range of subjects and experiences, including life amid the coronavirus pandemic, living with anxiety and depression, coping with pressure in sports, dealing with addiction, and many more challenges faced by those in competitive athletics.
Athletes Sharing Their Mental Health Experiences
Several prominent athletes have shared their mental health stories through ESPN's coverage. World record holder Andy Donaldson is attempting to become just the 23rd person to complete the Oceans Seven Challenge, swimming across some of the world's most dangerous seas. His ongoing effort aims to raise money and awareness for mental health causes, demonstrating how athletes are using their physical achievements to support mental health advocacy.
Olympic gold medallist swimmer Kyle Chalmers has spoken about his mental health struggles, hoping that by sharing his experiences he can inspire the next generation of athletes to follow suit. Similarly, three-time Olympic breaststroke champion Adam Peaty missed the British swimming championships in April to focus on his mental health ahead of the 2024 Paris event, highlighting how even elite performers prioritize psychological well-being.
Football players have also been featured in ESPN's coverage. Brentford's goalkeeper David Raya discussed the intense mental pressure goalkeepers face when more focus and expectation is on the position than ever. Wigan defender Steven Caulker, despite what most would consider a successful football career including playing for Great Britain at the Olympics, has openly discussed how gambling and alcohol addictions have affected his life and career.
Czech Republic international Jakub Jankto announced he would not play for Sparta Prague anymore that season due to concerns over his health, demonstrating how athletes are making decisions to prioritize their mental and physical well-being.
Mental Health Support in Professional Sports
As the stigma around mental health continues to break down in professional sports, many athletes, coaches, and clubs have opened up about using sport psychologists to support performance and well-being. ESPN's Bethan Clargo spoke with three sports psychologists—Dr. Hannah Stoyel, Rebecca Levett, and Dr. Charlotte Chandler—to explore why the profession is receiving increased attention.
Clubs are also investing in mental health support. Chelsea hired mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka from rugby's All Blacks, spending £323 million on eight new players in the January transfer window, but the arrival of this New Zealander could be the Premier League club's most important act of recruitment in terms of psychological support.
Personal Journeys and Recovery
ESPN's coverage emphasizes that the path to mental health recovery is not always linear. Within every story of triumph, there is also a story of obstacles. These narratives illuminate the lived experiences of people in the sports world living with a range of mental health conditions and issues such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and more.
One baseball player featured in ESPN's coverage shared their perspective: "This is just where I belong. I feel like I have a lot more in the tank, so getting this opportunity to do this, it just feels so right. I love baseball. Being able to still play the game that I love with this new sense of appreciation—I'm really excited to see what can happen with it. People have encouraged me, people have believed in me, have helped me through some of those dark times. If it doesn't work out, I just know that I'll be OK. And that's really all it is—kind of believing in that simplicity of, things are going to work out how they're supposed to no matter what."
Former NBA player Metta World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest) shared his experience with therapy, noting that even after winning a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010, he thanked his psychologist who had helped him channel the intensity that made him the NBA's premier defender while also dealing with personal peace and depression.
Team Experiences and Mental Health
ESPN has also covered team experiences related to mental health. The WNBA's "Wubble" during the coronavirus pandemic featured 144 players who protested in unison after the shooting of Jacob Blake while undergoing daily testing for coronavirus. They practiced and played through challenges that were both physical and mental. Players like A'ja Wilson, the league's reigning MVP; Dearica Hamby, the mother of a then-3-year-old daughter; and Nneka Ogwumike, the president of the executive committee of the Women's National Basketball Players Association, reflected on the challenges they overcame and the lessons learned during their nearly 100 days inside the "Wubble."
Coaches have also shared their family's mental health journeys. University of Maryland head football coach Mike Locksley and his wife Kia have spent the last 30 years building Mike's coaching career, a priority that has come second only to building their family and raising their four children, including their son, Meiko. Coach Locksley opened up about Meiko's mental health journey in an ESPN Outside the Lines special.
Paralympians and Mental Health
Paralympic athletes have also been featured in ESPN's mental health coverage. David Smith, who won gold for Team GB at the London 2012 Paralympics, stated that he does not want to be remembered solely as an Olympic medallist, suggesting a broader identity beyond athletic achievement that may reflect his mental health journey and priorities.
Conclusion
ESPN's coverage of mental health awareness in professional sports has highlighted several important themes. The increasing openness of athletes about their mental health challenges helps reduce stigma and encourages others to seek help. Stories from various sports and performance levels demonstrate that mental health issues affect everyone regardless of achievement or status. The integration of mental skills professionals into sports organizations shows a growing recognition of the importance of psychological support in athletic performance and overall well-being. Finally, the narratives shared emphasize that recovery is not linear but possible with proper support, self-acceptance, and belief in one's ability to navigate challenges.
The stories featured by ESPN during Mental Health Awareness Month and Week 2023 collectively emphasize the need to end stigma associated with mental health and remind all individuals that they never truly know what someone is going through until they've heard their story. By amplifying these voices, ESPN has contributed to a broader cultural shift in how mental health is discussed and addressed in professional sports and beyond.