What do the Icons say about Mental Wellness?
What do the Icons say about Mental Wellness?
As technology advancements, medical breakthroughs, global expansions, and industry growths occur, so does mental health awareness. The spotlight is on mental health and wellness as the narrative shifts to “ending the stigma - you are not alone.” These past years so many people have just struggled with their mental health and wellness - whether that be periods of depression, panic attacks, wild mood shifts, nightmares, debilitating fear, anxiety, or just stress. One of the important lessons to learn during this time in history is the body and mind or physical and mental health are one interconnected unit in need of our attention.
As the 2021 Summer Olympics becomes a reflection of the past, the interwoven message from several athletes about mental health need not be. Iconic gymnast, Simone Biles stated, “Put mental health first, because if you don’t, then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to. So it’s ok sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself, because it shows how strong of a competitor that you really are, rather than just battle through it. I do hope that people can relate and understand that it’s ok to not be ok; and it’s ok to talk about it. There are people that can help, and there is usually light at the end of any tunnel.”
In an NBC interview, Michael Phelps adds to the mental wellness dialogue. “The biggest thing is understanding and accepting,” he said. “For me, I feel like I’m alone sometimes, that I’m the only one who can go through something like this. But that’s not the case. There are millions of people out here going through the same thing. I’ve gone through it or Simone is going through it. People are standing up and talking about it left and right. And that’s what we need.”
Gymnast Sam Mikulak, swimmer Simone Manuel, tennis player Naomi Osaka, weightlifter Kate Nye, boxer Virginia “Ginny” Fuchs, long jump runner Brittney Reese, shot putter Raven Saunders, swimmer Alison Schmitt, beach volleyball player April Ross, sprinter Noah Lyles, among so many other athletes have spoken out publicly about their mental health struggles, as well as their paths to wellness and recovery. The underlying message again is: “You are not alone.”
In moving into the celebrity world, this year in itself has almost given permission for celebs to use their status and voice to influence “reaching out.” The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson) shared, “I found that, with depression, one of the most important things you can realize is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go through it. You’re not going to be the last to go through it. I wish I had someone at that time who could just pull me aside and say, ‘Hey, it’s going to be ok. It’ll be ok.’”
An outspoken advocate for mental health awareness, Demi Lovato is open about her battles with bi-polar disorder, bulimia, and addiction. She stated, “It’s very important we create conversations, we take away the stigma, and we stand up for ourselves if we’re dealing with the symptoms of a mental illness. It is possible to live well and thrive with a mental illness.”
Ryan Reynolds shares about coping with his anxiety. Emma Stone discloses her path to wellness in therapy for anxiety. Lady Gaga reveals her struggle with PTSD and the time, effort, and work she puts into her healing. The list of individuals in the spotlight who report symptoms of mental health struggles or diagnoses is endless. However, the messages represent uniformity. “Talk about it. You are not alone. End the stigma of mental health. It is ok to not be ok. Make your mental health a priority.”
Laura Widger is a NY State Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of experience in the field of emotional wellness and mental health. She currently works for CCA-Connecting Communities in Action and specializes in trauma healing with children and adults. She lives in Cattaraugus County with her husband, children, and German short haired dog. Laura personally and professionally strives to promote internal self leadership and the discovery of true genuineness and balance within.