It was a newsworthy moment when tennis star Naomi Osaka announced that she wouldn’t participate in media interviews because of her battle with depression and anxiety. The fact that the World Tennis Association fined her $15,000 got even more media attention. But her withdrawal from the French Open has put the issue of mental health front and center.
It’s not as if she’s the first athlete to suffer from depression and anxiety. NBA All-Star Kevin Love, gymnast Aly Raisman, and baseball’s Zack Greinke have talked about their struggles, as has Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, who called Osaka’s coming forward a “game-changer . I hope this is the breaking point of really being able to open up and save more lives.”
While the support for Osaka has been strong and vocal, let’s not overlook the nasty responses to her withdrawal from the tournament. “Diva behavior” was one sportswriter’s response. The most annoying comment came from TV personality Piers Morgan who took time out from harassing Meghan Markle to focus on another woman of color by calling Osaka,”World sport’s most petulant little madam.”
It’s time to get real about mental health. It isn’t just an issue for famous people under a mountain of stress. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. There are 40 million adults affected every year. Every year.
About 25% of our young people 13-18 years old are affected. And almost half of people with anxiety disorders also suffer from depression. Major Depressive Disorders has been the major cause of disability in people ages 15 to 44. And COVID-19 has skyrocketed the numbers. A survey in 2020 by Southern Cross University reported a whopping 98% of respondents said COVID had affected their mental health.