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Simone Biles -

On July 27, 2021, artistic gymnastics superstar Simone Biles announced her decision not to compete in the team al-around finals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

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Simone Biles -

She cited her mental health as the reason and explained: "I just felt like it would be a little bit better to take a backseat, work on my mindfulness, and I knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job." Since then she also pulled out of the individual all-around final.

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Naomi Osaka -

Before the 2021 French Open, tennis star Naomi Osaka announced that she would not do any post-match interviews. She explained that it was a bid to preserve her mental health.

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Naomi Osaka -

She wrote on Instagram: "I've often felt that people have no regard for athletes' mental health, and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one."

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Michael Phelps -

Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps is a great advocate for mental health and doesn't shy away from sharing stories about his own battles with depression and anxiety.

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Michael Phelps -

In 2018, he told Today: "Being an athlete, you're supposed to be strong and be able to push through anything. My struggles carried on through my career and I hid them well."

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Serena Williams -

In a 2011 interview with The Telegraph, tennis champion Serena Williams revealed that she had been battling with depression. She said: "I cried all the time. I was miserable to be around."

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Serena Williams -

Williams has also spoken publicly about her battle with postpartum depression after her daughter, Olympia, was born in 2017.

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Dwayne Johnson -

In 2015, The Rock was featured on an episode of 'Oprah's Masterclass' describing his battle with depression and the way in which he overcame it.

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Dwayne Johnson -

He said: “I found that with depression one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go through it…"

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Kevin Love -

In 2018, basketball player Kevin Love founded the Kevin Love Fund, a foundation that aims to raise awareness for children struggling with their mental health.

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Kevin Love -

In the article announcing the foundation of the fund, he explained that he had been prompted to work on his own mental health after suffering a panic attack during a game.

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Terry Bradshaw -

A few years ago, former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw broke down on camera, overcome with emotion about the topic of mental health, which he felt was under-discussed in the world of sports.

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Terry Bradshaw -

Bradshaw then decided that he would be more open about his own experiences with depression. To quote him: "I thought maybe I could help people with awareness, help men get the strength and courage…"

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Aly Raisman -

In April 2021, former Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman appeared on 'CBS This Morning' and talked about how starting gymnastics at a young age was detrimental to her mental health.

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Aly Raisman -

She said: "My results, or my worth in the sport, is based off of what other people think of me." She also spoke to host Anthony Mason about how she takes care of her mental health since retiring from the sport.

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Aaron Rodgers -

In April 2020, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys revealed that he was suffering from depression after his brother took his own life. Fellow quarterback Aaron Rodgers came out in support.

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Aaron Rodgers -

Rodgers told The Athletic: "I think it's great, I saw what Dak said and I applaud him. I think it's phenomenal, him speaking out because that's true courage and that's true strength. It's not a weakness at all."

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Laurie Hernandez -

Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez has spoken publicly in the past about her mental health struggles. She more recently spoke to POPSUGAR about methods she has been using to cope.

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Laurie Hernandez -

In the same feature she spoke about her decision to go on antidepressants: "There's no shame in that, and I was putting it off for a while because even though I don't stigmatize it for other people, I was doing it for myself."

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Michael Oher -

In March 2021, former NFLer Michael Oher, whose story inspired the book and 2009 movie 'The Blind Side,' spoke to People about his mental health and about the importance of seeking professional help to deal with trauma.

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Michael Oher -

He said: "I'm still traumatized and I still deal with things that I dealt with as a kid... If you're still dealing with trauma, [therapy] is definitely needed early on, because I had to do that to get back healthy."

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Gracie Gold -

In 2017, skating champion and Olympic bronze medalist Gracie Gold announced that she was taking some time off from skating to focus on her mental health.

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Gracie Gold -

She said: "After recent struggles on and off the ice, I realize I need to seek some professional help and will be taking some time off while preparing for my Grand Prix assignments."

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Tacko Fall -

In 2020, Sengalese basketball player Tacko Fall spoke to People about how he was trying to keep up his mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Tacko Fall -

He said: "For athletes, people don't see that side of us. They only see us on the court competing every night, having fun, just going out to fans and always putting out a smile."

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Noah Lyles -

In August 2020, super sprinter Noah Lyles went public with his decision to start taking antidepressants. He wrote about the decision on Twitter.

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Noah Lyles -

To quote the athlete: "Recently I decided to get on antidepressant medication. That was one of the best decisions I have made in a while. Since then I have been able to think without the dark undertone in mind of nothing matters. Thank you God for mental Health."

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Hayden Hurst -

In December 2020, NFL player Hayden Hurst described what it's like for him as a football player struggling with his mental health. He said: "There is this persona that you're an NFL player and you're almost like a robot. You just show up on Sundays and you're this big physical person."

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Hayden Hurst -

He continued: "But I think it's more masculine to truly reach out for help and say 'Hey, I have a problem and I need assistance here.'"

Sources: (People) (Health Central) (Heads Up Guys)

See also: Everyday things you didn't realize are harming your mental health

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