To many, the fan who can only dream of reaching elite status in any sport, professional athletes who battle with depression makes little to no sense.
These are millionaires. These are our hero’s, those our children aspire to become. These are people bereft of mental weaknesses, hardened sporting machines trained to perform to the highest athletic standards.
According to the Black Dog Institute, almost half (45%) of Australians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. In line with this statistic, leading experts suggest that up to 15 percent of elite athletes suffer from depression.
It stemmed from a struggle to cope with a career-threatening injury, it can be blamed on the difficulties of a post-sporting life outside the limelight, it was the fault of a life lived in the coddled bubble of an elite athlete who did not prepare for a life lived in reality.
To point to one reason for suicides among professional athletes is a futile exercise. We are not inside their heads; we can never know what drove them to the edge and ultimately over. Mental illness, depression and the inner workings of the brain are areas around which many questions still remain, so much so that science is still coming to terms with their impacts.
Many will say these athletes are well paid, it is a career they chose, and they knew what they were getting themselves into, but this attitude plays a role in why most who are suffering from depression keep it to themselves rather than seeking help.
To progress forward, there needs to be a lot more communication with administrative bodies.
Work needs to be done to create an environment where athletes are comfortable talking about the issue, and this will only happen when there is no longer a fear that by raising the issue the athlete in question will be discriminated against, or will see his or her future within the chosen field affected.
All this is not to say that the jobs of the ‘everyday’ citizen isn’t tough, but for too long, many have had an attitude that, if a professional athlete shows any sign of weakness, they need to harden up.
Having been a sufferer of depression myself, I must admit it was extremely difficult to understand how those who are involved in elite sport come to battle the ‘Black Dog’.
It was only after spending time with them that you come to realise that they are just like me and you. They experience the same emotions. The only difference is that they are open to public scrutiny because of their choice of career.
We can only hope that through an increase in awareness, administrators, family and friends will continue to be at the forefront of their rehabilitation, and the wider community will increase their understanding of this affliction.
Ultimately, the lesson is simple, neither money nor fame can insulate someone against mental illness.
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