LOS ANGELES: Swimming great Michael Phelps revealed that he has battled severe anxiety and depression for much of his life which drove him to consider suicide after his success at the 2012 Olympics.
Speaking at a mental health conference in Chicago on Tuesday, the 23-time Olympic gold medal winner talked openly about his long battle with crippling depression and is encouraging others to get help like he did.
“After every Olympics I think I fell into a major state of depression,” the 32-year-old Phelps said.
Phelps said he reached rock bottom following the 2012 Olympics in London where he won four gold medals and two silver. For four days he remained in his room without food or sleep.
“I didn’t want to be in the sport anymore,” he said. “I didn’t want to be alive.”
When he hit a low point in his depression, Phelps said, “You do contemplate suicide.”
Over the past two years Phelps has opened up about his struggles. Once again, Phelps said his depression and anxiety problems have been a staple of his life for the past 17 years.
“We’re supposed to be this big, macho, physically strong human beings, but this is not a weakness,” he said. “We are seeking and reaching for help.”
Phelps won his first gold medal in 2004 at the Athens Olympic Games. That same year the 15-year-old from Baltimore experienced his first “depression spell.”
Phelps said as he got older his depression led to his abusing drugs and alcohol.
In 2008, after winning a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games, Phelps was photographed smoking from a bong. He has also been arrested twice for drink driving.
“It would be just me self-medicating myself, basically daily, to try to fix whatever it was that I was trying to run from,” he said.
Phelps isn’t the first Olympic national hero to battle dark demons outside the pool.
Australian Ian Thorpe, who broke 22 world records, wrote in his 2012 autobiography that not only did he consider suicide but he planned ways and places to do it in.
Like Phelps, Thorpe chose to “self-medicate” with alcohol to try and manage his vicious mood swings and silence the horrible thoughts going through his head.
In an interview with CNN this week, Phelps said he wants to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness.
“(Mental illness) has a stigma around it and that’s something we still deal with every day,” said Phelps. “I think people actually finally understand it is real. People are talking about it and I think this is the only way that it can change.”
Phelps retired after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio as the most decorated Olympian of all-time, winning 28 Olympics medals.
Michael Phelps opens up about battling anxiety, depression
Michael Phelps opens up about battling anxiety, depression
Smylie, Uihlein tied for lead entering first fourth round in LIV Golf history
- Smash GC’s Talor Gooch is third just 1 shot behind, the closest pursuer of 17 players within 6 shots of co-leaders
RIYADH: LIV Golf enters uncharted territory on Saturday at Roshn Group LIV Golf Riyadh.
The league’s first 72-hole regular-season tournament, part of the significant format adjustments made for the 2026 season, concludes with Saturday’s fourth round at Riyadh.
New LIV Golf player Elvis Smylie of Ripper GC and original league member Peter Uihlein of RangeGoats GC are tied for the lead at 16 under. Smash GC’s Talor Gooch is just a shot back, the closest pursuer of 17 players who are within six shots of the co-leaders.
In the team competition, Torque GC — fueled by the twin 7-under 65s by Mexican Olympic teammates Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz — are at 46 under, two shots ahead of Smash, who are seeking to deliver a victory to Gooch on his debut as captain. Ripper, eyeing next week’s home tournament at LIV Golf Adelaide, are another shot back.
Had the tournament been played under the old 54-hole format, Uihlein and Smylie would have had to settle things in a playoff on Friday. But now the leaders and contenders get 18 more holes to crown a champion.
“Yes, thanks for bringing that up,” laughed Uihlein, who has appeared in all 51 LIV Golf tournaments and is seeking his first league individual title.
“I feel like 72 holes fits me a little better. If you would have told me at the beginning of the week, hey, you’d be tied for the lead after 54 and you have a chance to win, that’s where you’d want to be. I’d take it. (I’m) looking forward to the challenge tomorrow.”
Smylie, 23, who is making his first LIV Golf start after joining the all-Australian Rippers last month, had never competed in the 54-hole format but is looking to send a message to his new competitors. He said he was in “total control” of his shots during Friday’s bogey-free 7-under 65.
“Without a doubt I want to prove my worth in this league, and I want to establish myself as one of the best guys in this league,” the left-hander said. “The best way to do that is by going out and making a statement this week.”
Ancer is among the group of players now getting a fourth round to chase a LIV Golf trophy instead of having to be satisfied with a high finish. The new Torque player won his first LIV Golf individual title two years ago in the 54-hole format while playing for Fireballs GC. He welcomes the opportunity to have an extra 18 holes to claim a second title.
“I feel like 54 holes was good enough to figure out who’s playing the best golf,” said Ancer, whose 65 was highlighted by a 50-foot-plus eagle putt.
“You just feel like it’s a little bit more of a sprint, have a little bit less time for you to make mistakes and come back from them. But then playing 72 holes, you feel like if you’re a steady player, that would maybe help you rise to the top of the leaderboard.”
Two of the steadiest LIV Golf players are Gooch and Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm, who have combined to win the last three season-long Individual Championships. They have each celebrated 13 trophies — individual and team successes — and are tied for the most in league history, remaining in contention for more hardware thanks to the additional fourth round.
Gooch, who follows the rule of 67 — everything takes care of itself by shooting 67 or better — shot his third consecutive 67 as he seeks a fifth individual tournament title.
Rahm shot his second 67 of the week and is tied for fourth with Ancer, Smash GC’s Jason Kokrak and 4Aces GC’s Thomas Detry, who, like Smylie, is making his league debut in Riyadh.
Despite increased winds and rainy weather on Friday, with players expecting the tougher conditions to impact scoring, the field shot its lowest average of the week, nearly 3.5 strokes under par during a lively third-round Moving Day.
Uihlein, who opened his round with four consecutive birdies en route to a 66, said: “It didn’t feel like it was easier than yesterday, but everyone went low.
“I’m expecting it to be a shootout, but we could come out here tomorrow and it’s blowing 15, 20 again, so you never know.”
