Michael Phelps on Depression
Olympian Michael Phelps opened up about his past battle with depression.
Speaking with Us Weekly, the 28-time Olympic medalist spoke about his role in a documentary called "Angst" where he shares his own experiences battling anxiety and depression.
"For me, it was all about being vulnerable," Phelps told Us Weekly. "I think it's scary for a lot of people to think about that word. I just wanted to change. I was to the point where I didn't like who I was. I didn't like looking at myself like seeing the reflection that you see in the mirror. I kind of just tackled it head-on."
According to the retired swimmer, the darkest days of his life by far was when he was battling with himself.
Phelps said that learning how to communicate and understand one's emotions will help a lot during this journey. He hopes to see more people opening up and discussing mental health disorders. And he also hopes that one day it would lower suicide rates.
Phelps may have gone through hell, but that is all in the past now. The retired Olympian is having the time of his life, watching his 17-year-old son Boomer grow wiser each day. And soon he and his wife Nicole Johnson will get to watch another baby grow, as they are expecting baby number two.
Apart from investing in family, Phelps is focused on his new advocacy, water conservation, as he is Colgate's global ambassador for their Save Water campaign.
Phelps admits that water has always been a very intricate part of his life. Having a growing family, the value of water, for him, has only become more important. Knowing that so many people have little access to clean drinking water, people who do have should not take advantage. He believes that little efforts made daily can go a long way to conserving precious water.
