Time to end the stigma on mental health.
Athletes, like anyone else, can experience mental health challenges that may impact their overall well-being.
The intense pressure, performance expectations, and constant scrutiny can contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression among athletes.
That’s why recognizing and addressing mental health issues in the sports community has become an important topic as of late.
Recently, Meralco Bolts star Chris Newsome was featured in former NBA player Kenny Thomas’ podcast called MILLIONS.
Thomas previously played for NBA teams such as the Houston Rockets, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Sacramento Kings.
During his stint with the Sixers, Thomas became teammates with NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson. He would go on to have an 11-year career in the NBA.
During his podcast, Thomas and Newsome discussed several topics ranging from the NBA as well as the PBA.
But one of the serious topics they had was about mental health, where the Meralco star emphasized the importance of being able to teach kids about speaking up when dealing with such issues.
“Mental health is definitely a big thing for us,” Newsome said during the podcast.
“For the kids growing up, we got to really understand how the mind works and how to hack your mind, so that way you don't let it put you in situations that you don't necessarily need to be in,” he added.
Newsome is not shy to speak about his failures—case in point his cut from the final 12 of Gilas Pilipinas during the FIBA World Cup.
But it’s not just the 6-foot-2 guard who has been encouraging more people to speak up on mental health.
TNT Tropang Giga big man Kelly Williams has also spoken up about his struggles over the years and how he was able to overcome those.
That’s why no matter how successful an athlete may have become, he or she could still be dealing with issues—making it all-important to promote mental health awareness.
(CF)