"Where vulnerability snuck in" – When Michael Phelps opened up about receiving therapy at a treatment centre for the first time

Michael Phelps, the most decorated American Olympian, also known as the 'flying fish,' has long struggled with mental health issues and depression throughout his competitive career. He has become a strong advocate for mental health since he retired from swimming.

Phelps reached the peak of his career in the 2004 Athens Games, bringing home eight Olympic medals, six gold and two bronze. But after the Olympic Games, he began experiencing post-Olympic depression. Though he took a short break, Phelps resumed training for the 2008 and 2012 Games.

At his lowest point in 2014, shortly after his DUI arrest, he isolated himself in his room for several days due to depression and even had the feeling that he didn’t want to be alive, Phelps said in an interview on the Today show.

That was the moment of breakdown, and Phelps checked into a treatment centre and spent 45 days in therapy. Reflecting upon that experience in a Healthline interview in 2022, he said:

“As soon as I came out, I continued the therapy that I had in my treatment centre. For me, when I first started, it was kind of freaky, kind of scary, something that was new, and I didn’t really know what to expect. I guess that was where vulnerability sneaked in for the first time.”

Following the therapy session, Phelps felt mentally stronger and started to see his identity beyond swimming.

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Michael Phelps shares about post-Olympic depression

Michael Phelps at 2016 Olympic Games - Source: Getty

Speaking with NBC, Michael Phelps opened up about how he once saw vulnerability as a weakness. He eventually realized that it meant change, and that made a great impact on his life.

“As a male athlete, I could tell something was off. But I think I saw it as a sign of weakness, and if I shared anything about it, then it would give my competitors an edge," he said.

He added:

"I’m trying to be better than anybody, period, has ever been. So for me, I looked at it as a weakness. I had to learn that vulnerability is a good thing, and it was scary at first, but I learnt that vulnerability just means change. And for me, it was a great change.”

Phelps has also shown his support for Olympic gymnast Simone Biles when she pulled out from the 2020 Tokyo Games to prioritize mental health. He officially retired from competitive swimming in August 2016.

Michael Phelps initially announced his retirement from the sport after the 2012 London Olympics. He then returned and competed in his fifth Olympic Games at Rio 2016 and added six more medals, bringing his career total to 28 Olympic medals.