Michael Phelps’ Mental Health Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic

“The pandemic has been a challenge I never expected,” Michael Phelps told ESPN.

“All the uncertainty; Being cooped up in a house.” Michael continued, “and the questions, so many questions. When is it going to end? What will life look like when this is over? Am I doing everything I can to be safe? Is my family safe? It drives me insane. I’m used to traveling, competing, meeting people. This is just craziness. My emotions are all over the place. I’m always on edge. I’m always defensive.”

Michael Phelps being a former American swimmer is the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals; six gold and two bronze medals at 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, eight gold medals at 2008 Beijing Games, four gold and two silver medals at 2012 Summer Olympics in London and five gold and one silver medal at 2016 Summer Olympic in Rio de Janeiro.

Furthermore, Phelps claimed the report of him living a problem-free life, and admitting to his problem is false.

He said, “The thing is, people who live with mental health issues all know this – it never goes away,” he said. “You have good days and bad. But there’s never a finish line. I’ve done so many interviews after [the 2016 Olympics] where the story was the same, ‘Michael Phelps opened up about depression, went into a treatment program, won gold in his last Olympics, and now is all better.’ I wish that were the truth.”

However, he said arguing with his wife has made him feel “worthless” at times. “This is the most overwhelmed I’ve ever felt in my life. That’s why I have times where I don’t want to be me. I wish I could just be ‘Johnny Johnson,’ some random person,” he said.

The 34-year-old swimmer said his wife, Nicole, and three children help him deal with his mental health. “There are moments, those times where I’m stuck in my own head, I don’t think it can get any worse, and Boomer, my four-year-old, will walk up to me, give me a hug and just tell me he loves me,” he said. “When you absolutely least expect it. It’s literally the greatest thing in the world.”

Phelps’ therapist has helped him a lot with his mental issues, “understanding where negative emotions are coming from – and talking about them – is vital,” he said.

“Not long ago, I had a speaking engagement at a major global company about mental health,” said Phelps. “After I spoke, there was a Q&A, and this younger guy gets up in front of the entire group and starts talking about his struggles. I think about that moment sometimes. The courage he had to get up in front of all his coworkers and admit his challenges. It shows we are finally getting to a point where there is an understanding that mental health struggles are real. It’s serious, life-and-death stuff.”

“There’s nothing to hide from. Nothing to be afraid of. The fight is only against yourself. Think about that the next time somebody asks that simple question: How are you?” Phelps concluded.