PHOENIX – The most-decorated Olympian took to Twitter Sunday afternoon sharing his personal struggles with mental health.
Phelps opens up in a series of twitter posts saying, “that getting help is a sign of strength, not weakness.”
With Mental Health Awareness Month coming to an end, the 33-year-old encourages those struggling with the same battles to seek help.
He credits working with a therapist, “helped save his life,” when he was at his lowest point.
In a year-long partnership with the online and mobile therapy company, Talkspace, the 23-time gold medalist says,
“You don’t have to wait for things to get worse. If you’re struggling, I encourage you to get help.”
He talked for the first time publicly about his struggle with mental health in a 2017 interview with The Today Show, saying in 2014 during one of his depression lows, “he didn’t want to be alive.”
Phelps was arrested in 2014 for driving under the influence which cost him a six-month suspension from US swimming.
After serving his suspension, he was able to return to the 2016 Summer Olympics where he won five gold medals.
In his twitter posts Phelps says, “one in four people around the world experience a mental health issue” stating, “he was one of them.”
Teaming up with Talkspace, Phelps provides a $50 discount to get started with an online licensed therapist encouraging his followers to not wait if they’re struggling.
In the 30-second ad campaign, Phelps shares how much therapy played a role in his recovery to mental health wellness.
