Mental Health is a topic dear to my heart both from personal experience and from observing our society.

Recent and brave pronunciations from model athletes are giving mental health a greater awareness to the world in many ways similar to the social cries from movements like Black Lives Matter. Perhaps the voices of Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles will grow similarly to demand society give greater attention and begin to normalize the discussion of mental health.

I have and continue to address three personal mental health concerns. I was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder in fourth grade. Since then, I have been in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and have learned many tools to manage this condition. Second, after my freshman year in high school, I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and began medication to treat that condition. Lastly, early in my junior year of high school during the Covid pandemic and election mayhem and a deep personal loss, I was diagnosed with depression. Depression was the most serious condition I have experienced and it lasted for many months. It took time, modification of my medications, and perhaps a change of environment to recover.

While I feel very confident these days, mental health is not a switch. It is a set of complex behaviors and conditions that change constantly. Some days are better than others. It is a constant concern that requires diligence and perseverance. This bout with depression has taught me new tools to help me reduce the likelihood of a recurrence and guide me out if another bout should come.

I have learned that my mental health is more important than any Olympic Medal or grade.