Michael Phelps on Life After Swimming and His Battle With Depression
23-time gold medalist Michael Phelps is opening up about two causes close to his heart: depression and water conservation.
The most decorated Olympian of all time wants you to know he has bad days — some very bad days — just like so many people. "I'm not a superhuman," Michael Phelps tells LIVESTRONG.COM. "I'm a human being who was very fortunate to find something that I love and find something that I'm good at and really never give up. But, really, that's it."
While he made success in the pool look easy, a shadow hung over the star athlete for years as he battled depression. Now Phelps is sharing more about his mental health issues. "These are things that have been a part of me for so long," he says. "I just decided it was time to open up and talk about some of the struggles I've had in my life. Just being able to get out and talk about it and communicate about it — almost become vulnerable — I think is something that will help a lot of people," Phelps, who will appear in a new documentary titled "Angst" to talk about his depression and being bullied, tells LIVESTRONG.COM.
Since retiring from swimming with 23 gold medals after the Rio Olympics in 2016, Phelps has had to readjust his routine and figure out what's next for him. "For a long time, swimming was that thing that got me out of bed every morning early to go and jump in a freezing-cold pool. But now, kind of starting the next chapter for me, I've been asking myself where I want to be and what I want to do."
Those next steps include working on a cause close to his heart: water conservation. "I obviously grew up in water and in around water for a very long time," Phelps, a global ambassador for Colgate's Save Water campaign, says about the world's most vital resource. "I think it's little small things that we can do together — no-brainers like not leaving the faucet running when you brush your teeth [and taking] shorter showers."
His life at home with his wife, Nicole Johnson, is also becoming more of a focus, as their son, Boomer, is now 17 months old and they are about to become parents for a second time. But Phelps says he would never force his kids into the athlete life. "For me, I had an awesome mom growing up who was just so supportive of everything that we did," Phelps says. "If I wanted to quit swimming, she was fine with it because she wanted us to follow our hearts. The only thing I'm adamant about is that [Boomer] has to learn to swim. Other than that, he can play another sport, whatever makes him happy."
What Do YOU Think?
Do you think celebrities speaking out about mental health and other issues is helpful? Is water conservation something you think about? Share your thoughts in the comments below!