BREAKING THE STIGMA: A cultural shift in athlete mental health
- May 6
- 5 min read
How the conversations around athlete mental health have shifted in the last 20 years
Not long ago, if an athlete admitted to struggling with their mental health, it was seen as weakness. There was a time when athletes were expected to be bulletproof—to push through pain, pressure, and personal battles without ever missing a beat. But the past 10 to 20 years have brought a noticeable shift. More and more athletes are opening up, not just about their wins and losses, but about what's going on off the field, in their minds and in their lives. Slowly, the culture around athlete mental health is changing—and the conversation is no longer whispered, but welcomed.
Let's Talk About it
For decades, the dominant message in sports was clear: mental toughness meant keeping it together at all costs. Talking about anxiety, depression, or burnout? That wasn’t part of the gig. NBA star Kevin Love put it simply: "I never heard of any pro athlete talking about mental health, and I didn’t want to be the only one." In this environment, asking for help felt like stepping out of line.
There were a few early voices who started to push back. In 2010, after winning an NBA title, Ron Artest thanked his therapist on national television. It was unexpected, and for many, it was the first time they’d seen a pro athlete speak openly about therapy. But it would take years for that kind of honesty and vulnerability to become more common.
While there may have been earlier, less-publicized instances of athletes discussing mental health, Artest's 2010 interview remains a significant milestone in bringing the topic to the forefront of sports media.
When Athletes Started Speaking Up
By the mid-2010s, something started to shift. Athletes began sharing personal stories that challenged the "just tough it out" mindset. Michael Phelps talked about feeling lost after the Olympics. DeMar DeRozan tweeted about his depression. Kevin Love wrote a personal essay about having a panic attack during a game.
These weren’t just one-off moments. They were part of a growing movement where athletes began to say, in public, that mental health matters. Naomi Osaka withdrawing from the French Open, Simone Biles stepping back during the Olympics—these decisions made headlines, but more importantly, they made space for others.
When Osaka wrote, "It’s OK to not be OK," the message landed with people far beyond tennis. Because for so long, being "not OK" wasn’t something athletes felt they could say.
Real Changes, Not Just Talk
This cultural shift didn’t happen in a vacuum. Institutions started to respond.
The NCAA released mental health best practices for schools (NCAA, 2016). The NBA and NFL now require teams to have mental health professionals on staff (NBA, 2019; NFL, 2020). Olympic programs have expanded access to therapists and wellness support (USOPC, 2020). Even the idea that teams would talk about therapy or check in on players’ emotional wellbeing was rare a decade ago. Now, it’s becoming the norm.
These changes are still unfolding, and they’re not perfect. Many schools and teams still don’t have enough support in place. But the fact that there’s a growing expectation for those resources to exist at all is a sign of progress.
A New Kind of Storytelling
Media has also played a role in shifting the conversation. The Netflix series The Clubhouse followed the Chicago Cubs through a season, and it didn’t just focus on stats and highlights. It captured the mental grind—how players navigate slumps, injuries, and the quiet pressure of playing in front of millions.
One of the most striking moments came when Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran opened up about attempting to take his own life. It was raw and real, and the show didn’t sensationalize it. It just let the story be what it was: a human being trying to survive.
Netflix has also spotlighted mental health through other sports stories. The 2021 docuseries Naomi Osaka offers an intimate look into the life of the tennis champion, highlighting the mental health challenges she faced amid her rapid rise to stardom. The series delves into her struggles with anxiety and depression, particularly following her 2018 U.S. Open victory and the subsequent media scrutiny. Osaka's candid reflections provide viewers with a deeper understanding of the emotional toll that professional sports can take on athletes.
Similarly, Untold: Breaking Point, a 2021 documentary focusing on American tennis player Mardy Fish chronicles his battle with severe anxiety, which ultimately led him to withdraw from the 2012 U.S. Open. His openness about his mental health struggles marked a significant moment in sports, shedding light on the pressures athletes face and the importance of mental well-being.
Stories like this matter. They remind us that behind every stat line is a person. That even the pros have bad days. That being vulnerable isn’t something to hide.
Where We Go From Here
It would be easy to look at all this and say, "We’ve arrived." But that wouldn’t be the full picture. Athletes at all levels still struggle in silence. Stigma hasn’t disappeared—it’s just being challenged more often. And while awareness is growing, access to quality support still varies widely.
Still, there’s hope in how far the conversation has come. We’re seeing younger athletes talk more openly. Coaches who are more aware. Teammates who check in. And fans who cheer for athletes not just when they win, but when they show up as their full selves.
If You Need Support
Whether you’re currently competing, transitioning out of sport, or just figuring out what life looks like outside of training, your mental health is important. It’s not something to manage alone. If you're looking for support, here are some resources:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.): Call or text 988 any time
Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741
The Trevor Project: Text START to 678678 (for LGBTQ+ youth)
NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) for education and referrals
The Hidden Opponent: a community and advocacy group for student-athletes
International Resources: IASP Crisis Center Directory
Mental health is part of the game. Not a weakness, not a side note—a real, valid part of being human. We all have stories, and we all deserve support. Let’s keep talking, keep listening, and keep showing up for each other.
You are not alone.
References:
NCAA (2016). Mental Health Best Practices. NCAA Sport Science Institute.
NBA (2019). NBA Expands Mental Health Policies. NBA Communications.
NFL (2020). Building a Positive Mental Health Culture in the NFL. NFL.com.
USOPC (2020). USOPC Mental Health Task Force Launch.
Love, K. (2018). Everyone Is Going Through Something. The Players' Tribune.
Artest, R. (2010). NBA Finals Post-Game Interview. ABC.
Osaka, N. (2021). It's O.K. Not to Be O.K. TIME Magazine.
Biles, S. (2021). Olympic Games Tokyo Withdrawal Statement. Associated Press.
Whiteley, G. (2024). The Clubhouse [Netflix Docuseries].
Boston Globe (2024). Jarren Duran Shares Mental Health Struggles.
Netflix (2021). Naomi Osaka [Docuseries].
Netflix (2021). Untold: Breaking Point [Documentary on Mardy Fish].
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