Like Simone Bi Can Be Mental
I
’ ve worked in child and adolescent mental health for several decades and have never seen anything like what we are experiencing today . Our heroes – pop stars , movie stars , athletic stars — are normalizing the mental health struggles so many of us and our families face every day . They are sending a powerful message that there is no shame in getting help — and that message could not come at a more critical moment for America ’ s kids .
As children , we ’ re taught that anyone can become a hero . From Greek mythology to the Marvel Universe , heroes emerge from unlikely circumstances to achieve extraordinary things . Most importantly , they sacrifice to achieve something bigger than themselves .
The brave journeys of stars like Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka resonate with so many of us . We ’ ve always admired them for their athletic prowess , but now they have sacrificed their immediate professional goals because of a transformative realization : mental wellbeing is the foundation for everything else . They are bravely saying that their athletic achievements , their stature and , most critically , their happiness as individuals are supported on a bedrock of good mental health . By putting mental health first , at the pinnacle of their fame , they are changing our society for the better .
And they are sending a powerful message to our children . Like many Americans , I was surprised when I saw that Biles had withdrawn from the team gymnastics competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games . That quickly turned to admiration as I heard her admit that she , too , has mental health struggles . “ I had to do what ’ s right for me and not jeopardize my health and well-being ,” she said .
The pressure felt by Olympians is mirrored in the Olympic and non-Olympic-sized events in our kids ’ lives , whether it ’ s pitching in a school baseball game or taking a weekly spelling test . It ’ s not the impact of the event but how the child feels about the event .
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