Actors, athletes and even Olympians have come forward revealing mental health struggles. Their stories and courage to share their struggles have led to a community of acceptance.

With every split, every flip, every walk on the balance beam, mind and body must align for gymnasts.

Jennifer Shackleton knows that first hand. She competed for years, and now she coaches at Gymnastics World Naples.

“Gymnastics is a very physical sport, but a big part of it is very mental and a lot of mental things that they have to overcome and it’s challenging on a day-to-day basis because when the mind and the body aren’t working together, a lot of fear comes in,” said Shackleton.

Mental blocks, the twisties, those are just some of the names for that mental challenge. A challenge Shackleton feels is not always discussed.

That’s why she was impressed with Olympian Simone Biles pulling out of the team finals.

“I say put mental health first because if you don’t then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to so it’s ok sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself because it shows how strong of a competitor and person you really are,” said Shackleton. “Her speaking up and saying that. It shows the kids that it is ok to speak up about their feelings and emotions.

J. Webb Horton, former FGCU head tennis coach, believes shifting the narrative about mental health is important for all athletes in all sports.

He’s played sports most of his life, but until recently, mental health was not really part of the conversation. “No one saw mental health as a real illness. It was sort of weakness,” said Horton.

He says athletes like Biles and Naomi Osaka have helped change that.

Osaka pulled out of the French Open this summer citing struggles with mental health and depression.

“We are a more enlightened society and we have to accept that mental health is the same as physical health,” said Horton.

Cortney Van Liew, an FGCU volleyball player, said, “I think within the past few years I’ve realized how taking care of your mental health can impact your athletic ability.”

Van Liew says the pressure of play can be tough. “You have people expecting you to do well, people expecting you to win. Even the pressure you put on yourself can start to weigh down on you if you aren’t careful.”

So she uses her platform to encourage others to talk about the pressure and talk about their mental health; even when they’re struggling.

“I mean a few years ago I would not have been able to talk about this or to even want to have this conversation and as it continues to be destigmatized and the conversation is out in the open it just makes it that much easier to work through whatever you’re going through,” said Van Liew.

Because it takes a strong mind and a strong body to be a strong athlete.

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Mental health resources in Southwest Florida

Below are mental health resources available to Southwest Floridians at the national and local level.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline
1-800-273-8255
suicidepreventionlifeline.org

David Lawrence Center  (Collier County)
(239)455-8500
davidlawrencecenter.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness, Collier County
namicollier.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry Counties
namilee.org

The National Alliance for Caregiving offers a free handbook
Circle of Care: A Guidebook for Mental Health Caregivers

Collier County Mental Health Court
ca.cjis20.org/home/collier

Lee County Mental Health Court
ca.cjis20.org/home/lee

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
convio.net

Local Support Groups: Anxiety and Depression Association of America
adaa.org

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Mental Health and Addiction Insurance Help)
hhs.gov/programs/topic-sites/mental-health-parity

Local veterans resource: Home Base SWFL
https://homebase.org/home-base-southwest-florida/