In this hectic era we are chasing targets and finding happiness in materialistic things. Our life has become rat race. We don’t even have time for ourselves, this habit is making us mentally unwell, and the irony is we are unaware of it. Mental health is the most important part of human life. So the self-care must be our first and the foremost priority. While the world is busy in achieve targets, meanwhile some Athletes came forward to talk about importance of mental health. Let’s read what they say about The importance of mental wellness.
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Simone Arianne Biles
– Simone Arianne Biles is an American artistic gymnast. With a combined total of 32 Olympic and World Championship medals, Biles is tied as the most decorated gymnast of all time. Biles’ seven Olympic medals also ties Shannon Miller for the most Olympic medals won by an American gymnast. She caused a sensation at the Olympics this year after pulling out of the team final competition before later withdrawing from the individual all-around competition. She said –
“I have to put my pride aside. I have to do what’s right for me and focus on my #mentalhealth and not jeopardize my health and well-being. That’s why I decided to take a step back.”
Benjamin Andrew Stokes
– Benjamin Andrew Stokes OBE is an English international cricketer. A left-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium swing bowler, he has captained the England team in both Tests and One Day Internationals. Stokes has withdrawn from England’s Test squad ahead of the LV= Insurance Test series against India to priorities his mental wellness. Once stokes quoted “You can never beat your own mind when it plays tricks on you”
Naomi Osaka
– Naomi Osaka is a Japanese professional tennis player. She has been ranked No. 1 by the Women’s Tennis Association and is the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in singles as well the first player from Japan – man or woman – to reach No. 1. In an article published in Time magazine, the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka discussed her decision to priorities her mental health above her tennis career, as well as highlighting one key part of her own experience: People in power didn’t think she needed a vacation from tennis, so she was forced to justify her decisions by disclosing more information about her health than she would have liked.
“In my case, I felt under a great amount of pressure to disclose my [mental health] symptoms — frankly because the press and the tournament did not believe me. I do not wish that on anyone and hope that we can enact measures to protect athletes, especially the fragile ones,” Osaka wrote.
Chris Gayle
– Christopher Henry Gayle, OD is a Jamaican cricketer who plays international cricket for the West Indies. A destructive batter, Gayle is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen to have played T-20 cricket, and by some as the best ever. Chris Gayle has been part of bio-bubbles constantly since cricket resumed post the pandemic, starting from the 2020 Indian Premier League. He had opted to prioritize his mental health and take a bit of a breather from bubble environments.
Glenn James Maxwell
– Glenn James Maxwell is an Australian professional international cricketer, who currently plays ODI and T-20 cricket for Australia. He has also played Test cricket for Australia. He represents Victoria and Melbourne Stars in Australian domestic cricket. Maxwell spoke about his battle with mental health, which forced him out of the game. In conversation with cricket.com.au. he said-
“It can certainly wear you down when you’re putting on a mask of being an international, domestic, whatever cricketer you are. When you’re putting that on every day for people to see in public, it can really weigh you down, and you can forget who you are, and forget what sort of person you are.”
Vinesh Phogat
6- Vinesh Phogat is an Indian wrestler. She became the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in both Commonwealth and Asian Games. Phogat became the first Indian athlete to be nominated for Laureus World Sports Awards in 2019. Vinesh Phogat has intimated that she could be taking a break from wrestling following a tough Tokyo Olympics campaign and the criticism and scrutiny that has followed. Vinesh, who was suspended on grounds of indiscipline following her return from Tokyo, hit back at the Wrestling Federation of India, while opening up about her struggles with injury, fitness and mental health in the lead-up to and during the 2020 Olympics.
In an interview with Indian Express she quoted, “I have given everything to wrestling and now is the right time to leave. But on the other hand, by chance I leave and don’t fight, it’ll be a bigger loss for me,”.