She wants me to get better": When Michael Phelps opened up on how his wife Nicole Johnson's support in his mental health journey

Michael Phelps once opened up about how his wife, Nicole Johnson, supported him through his mental health journey. Phelps has been a strong advocate of athletes' mental health during and after his swimming career.

Despite Phelps boasting an illustrious swimming career, he has faced tough situations on multiple occasions that have led to anxiety and depression, especially after his appearances at the Olympics. The legendary swimmer first experienced depression after his debut at the 2004 Athens Games.

Four years later, he again experienced post-Olympics depression after the 2008 Beijing edition. Phelps underwent a severe episode of depression after the 2012 London Games and also announced his retirement, only to return in 2014. Although he experienced episodes of depression himself, it also affected his family members, including his wife, Nicole Johnson.

In an interview with Today.com, Phelps acknowledged Johnson's struggles while highlighting her unwavering support for him.

“Nicole loves me and wants to help. She wants me to get better,” Phelps said. “But she’s also struggling herself. She needs that support as well. I know it’s hard for her. I feel like Nicole and I are closer than ever.”

After meeting at the 2007 ESPY Awards, Phelps and Johnson started dating in 2009. They got engaged in February 2015 and exchanged vows in June 2016 before Phelps appeared at his last Olympics.

Michael Phelps once opened up about his approach to his mental health journey

Michael Phelps of the United States at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Getty Images)

Michael Phelps once opened up about his experimental approach to mental health journey. He emphasized that his mental health journey was based on the try-and-fix method and did not have any pre-planned layout, similar to no fixed system for earning multiple medals.

“Throughout my career, there was no blueprint on winning eight gold medals; it was kind of trial and error that we had to figure out a way to get there. So, for [my mental health] …I can’t expect to have every answer today, but I also have to give myself forgiveness because I’m still learning and at times that is hard,” he said (via Healthline.com in 2020).

“[I] want to be as perfect and I want to learn as fast as I can, but at times, that’s not possible. I’m constantly learning. I’m constantly growing,” he added.

Michael Phelps won 28 Olympic medals and broke 39 world records throughout his career.