Depression in Sports

Today is "Bell Let's Talk" day and it's job is to raise awareness on mental health and depression issues. You might wonder why I am posting this in my sports blog, but it's because depression affects so many people, including athletes. Some people wonder how athletes who get paid so much money and get to do what they love can suffer from depression, but many do.
With more and more openness and admission, there is more help available. This day was set up by former Olympian Clara Hughes, who admitted she had depression after retirement, and Michael Landsberg, sports talk show host. Both are trying to shed light on depression and make others admit it. Many athletes have committed suicide from depression, such as hockey players Rick Rypien and Wade Belak, German soccer goalie Robert Enke, and football players like Philadelphia Eagles’ Andre Waters, Chicago Bears Safety Dave Duerson, Denver Broncos’ Kenny Mckinley. It's not clear whether these are all linked to depression, but the chances are high. Raising awareness and encouraging people to speak out on depression is very important. About 1 in 5 peoples suffers from a mental health issue, and many are good at hiding it. If you are curious of someone with depression, talk to them, don't let them deal with it by themselves.