if you do that If you go back a few decades, the concept of taking a “mental health vacation” was unthinkable. The intensity of the prevailing macho culture at the time was so strong that the ideals of “strengthening” and “bringing up a pair” were firmly ingrained, such that people like Michael Phelps, who ruled the pool for more than a decade, Even some of the greatest athletes in history have been forced to suffer from depression and anxiety for years without speaking up due to the stigma surrounding mental health.
Phelps’ psychological stress eventually led to substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. As revealed in a 2020 documentary, the swimmer questioned whether he should “end it all” after committing his second drunk driving offense in 2014 weight of gold, which he co-produced. “I thought of myself as just a swimmer, not a human being.”
With nowhere else to turn, Phelps ended up in a treatment center where he was able to overcome his problems. He then returned to the Olympics and won five more gold medals in one of the greatest pinnacle moments in the history of the sport. Although Phelps didn’t take a mental health vacation in the modern sense, he laid the groundwork for the next generation of elite athletes to become more willing and eventually open about their mental health issues. Among those athletes is Filipe Toledo.
Two waves into Hawaii’s Pipeline Pro, the opening event of the 2024 WSL season, Toledo returned to shore and initially withdrew from competition, citing food poisoning. Shortly after, Toledo withdrew from the entire Championship Tour and took a year-long mental health leave.
“In the past, I have been honest about some of the challenges I have had, not just with my injury, but with my mental health,” Toledo said in a statement. “Competing at the highest level over the past 10 years has taken a toll on me, so I need a break to recover for the next chapter of my career. I’m very passionate about this sport, but I need some time to fully recover so I can come back stronger than ever.”
For the most part, the reaction to Toledo’s decision has been fairly positive. Many celebrities have expressed their support for the Brazilian’s latest Instagram post. In particular, three-time world champion Australian surfer Mick Fanning wrote: If we don’t, no one will. Enjoy it with your family. Please admire their courage. ”
But proving that we still have a long way to go to break down the stigma surrounding mental health, many social media users (we call them “critics”) are disparaging Toledo. Toledo, an aviation specialist known for his high-flying acrobatics, claims his withdrawal was not motivated by mental health issues, but rather a strong aversion to large waves and barrel smashing in the pipeline. There are some people.
Regardless of public opinion, Toledo seems perfectly happy with his decision. Appearing during his professional broadcast at Sunset Beach, his second event in the WSL, Toledo provided an update on his current mindset. “I feel very happy,” he began. “Of course it was a difficult decision for me. It took me a few days to realize that this was actually happening. I didn’t want to. [withdraw from competition], but I need to do so. It’s hard for me to live in this situation, not surfing, not competing. But I know I need a break. Needs to be reset. I need a year to be free from pressure, stay at home with my kids, and go on surfing trips. ”
Which athletes have taken mental health leave?
Getty Images | Sarah Steer
Toledo joins a growing stream of elite athletes taking time to focus on their mental health. From Olympians to NBA stars, many athletes are speaking out about their struggles with mental health, taking time away from sports to better themselves and coming back better, and doing their part to break down the stigma in the process.
The most high-profile Australian athlete to have taken an extended period of time off due to mental health concerns is NBA superstar Ben Simmons. The Brooklyn Nets great point guard has opted out of the 2021-22 NBA season due in part to a persistent holdout against his team, the Philadelphia 76ers, but also due to ongoing injuries and mental health issues. I was absent. He later revealed that taking time to focus on himself was key to his return to the NBA. “I was isolated for a year. I wasn’t doing social media. I wanted to be alone for peace and reset, because that’s what I needed. And no one… I also stuck to therapy because I think people should have an outlet for that,” Simmons said.
Mental health breaks are more common in women’s sports, with some of the world’s most famous athletes taking time out to recover. Notably, Naomi Osaka has been suffering from a “long depression” since 2018, which led her to withdraw from the 2021 French Open and take several months to focus on her mental health. spent. Simone Biles, the most successful American gymnast in Olympic gymnastics history, has a similar story. Biles, who shot to fame with her historic performance at the 2016 Olympics, struggled with the pressure to repeat her success at the 2020 Olympics. As a result, she took two years off for mental health reasons, only recently returning to competition, and now she has her sights set on the 2024 Olympics.
Toledo is not the first surfer to take mental health leave, nor is he the first Brazilian surfer. In fact, he is also not the first Brazilian surfer to take a mental health leave despite being a reigning world champion. In 2022, three-time world champion Gabriel Medina withdrew from the first half of the WSL season due to mental stress. “This time was good for me,” he said later. “It’s no secret, but it’s even more interesting to talk about mental health. I had depression, so I started treatment with a psychologist. I never imagined I would be in a situation like this, it’s scary. It makes it hard to understand things.”
The surprise of Toledo and Medina’s decision is compounded by the hypermasculine nature of surfing. Despite the general stereotype of surfers as carefree and laid back, the world of surfing is cruel. After the withdrawal was announced, the comments section under the surfers’ Instagram posts were filled with vitriolic comments branding their actions despicable. With the rise in mental health interruptions for athletes, the stigma is decreasing, but it is clear that there is still work to be done.
What can we learn from athletes who take mental health leave?
With more and more athletes prioritizing their mental health, an overly pessimistic view would be to lament that if professional athletes are suffering, there’s no hope for the rest of us. Dew. But fortunately, there’s much more to learn than that. First, Toledo’s and other athletes’ decisions are surprising, but they also prove that we as ordinary people don’t suffer alone. These athletes are setting a precedent that paves the way for others to reach out and seek help.
Additionally, athletes taking mental health leave lends credence to the argument that success isn’t everything. The athletes profiled in this article have given up everything from Olympic medals and world championship glory to Grand Slam titles and sporting immortality in the pursuit of better mental health. What this teaches us is that there is no reward like driving yourself into the ground. If your striving for success is affecting your mental health, take a step back and reevaluate.
Finally, despite some repeat comments from social media users, the reaction to athletes taking mental health leave was largely positive. This is proof that discussing mental health and speaking out about your suffering is no longer a sign of weakness. No need to hesitate. If you are facing difficulties, there is always help.
Instagram | @Filipetledo
If you or someone you know has a mental health problem and needs support, Lifeline is available 24/7: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
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