"Allow us to become vulnerable" - When Michael Phelps opened up about letting athletes accept their feelings amid hardships

Michael Phelps once opened up about letting athletes accept their feelings. Phelps has openly advocated therapy and accepting anxiety and depression frequently during his swimming career and retirement. He has constantly highlighted the post-Olympic depression faced by athletes.

Phelps has repeatedly emphasized the emotional health of athletes. In an interview during the Tokyo Games, where the legendary swimmer was serving as a TV analyst for NBC, he highlighted the intense pressure of expectations experienced by athletes. Phelps stated that rather than someone fixing an athlete, the Olympians need individuals who let them be vulnerable and accept them as they are.

"The easiest way for me to say this is athletes and Olympic athletes in general ... we need someone who we can trust, somebody that can let us be ourselves and listen," Phelps said. "Allow us to become vulnerable. Somebody who's not going to try to fix us. We carry a lot of weight on our shoulders, and it's challenging. Especially when we have the lights on us and all of these expectations that are being thrown on top of us." (via cbsnews.com)

At the Tokyo Olympics, American gymnast Simone Biles pulled out from competing in the final round after experiencing "twisties." The legendary gymnast decided to prioritize her mental health, and her decision was well accepted by the fans.

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"Good to see the emotion out of those guys" - When Michael Phelps motivated his teammates to not hide their emotions

Team USA including Michael Phelps during the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo via Getty Images)

Michael Phelps once reflected on the heartwarming moment he shared with his teammates, including Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held, and Nathan Adrian. He competed with his teammates in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay event at the 2016 Rio Olympics. They left the French and Australian squads behind after clocking an impressive time of 3:09.92.

Being a veteran, Phelps suggested his teammates to showcase their feelings as they appeared to be shy on the podium. In an interview with usatoday.com after the 2016 Games, he reflected on the moment.

“I told them beforehand it is OK to sing, and it is OK to cry,” Michael Phelps said. “It is good to see the emotion out of those guys, and it shows they really do care. They were so amped. As one of the old guys it is pretty cool to see."

Michael Phelps competed in his last race at the 2016 Olympic Games.