Seeking help is a stepping stone to feeling better. I was nervous about it at the beginning, but once that passed, relief and tranquility began to set in. I can easily say that seeking out help was a great decision. It lets you know that you are not alone in your struggles.
It’s okay to ask for help.
Everyone struggles with it at some point in their lives. Student-athletes struggle with it. I struggle with it. As a student-athlete we put so much pressure on ourselves to succeed on the field, on the court, in the arena and in the classroom. We expect perfection and excellence from ourselves every single day. At some point, you crumble under that pressure and have to learn how to pick up the pieces and start again. Our teammates are there to pick us up, but only if we learn to let them in. There’s a stigma around mental health and asking for help makes it hard to admit that you’re struggling because you don’t want to look weak. Everyone needs a little help sometimes, and it’s up to us to make it okay to ask for it. I have been through years of struggle with my own mental health. I ultimately spoke up and got the help I needed to rebuild. It was an experience that helped me realize that I am never alone and that there will always people there to support me. You can do the same. There will always be a helping hand waiting for you.
I was fine for a long time in my life, until I wasn’t. I really struggled asking my family/friends for help, but once I finally said the words out loud, I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. In high school, if someone was going through therapy or getting help for their mental illness, no one talked about it, and it was kept very secret. I’ve now found that in college, people aren’t as afraid to stand up and admit they’ve needed help. It’s made it easier for me to talk to my coaches, athletic trainers, and even my friends and teammates about it. It gives you a much larger support system, so if you feel yourself slipping, you have so many people to reach out to. Asking for help isn’t anything to be ashamed of, it’s something to be proud of. Be proud of the fact that you had the courage to get the help you need.
I grew up for the longest time thinking that it’s normal to hide that you’re struggling and that you shouldn’t tell others you need help, but I didn’t realize how much it took a toll on me and how acting tough actually made me weaker. Asking for help really does make a difference and it really helps you.
