Potter’s Point of View: My Battle with Mental Health

....In October, everything starting crumbling. It wasn’t one thing that was falling apart — it felt like it was everything all at once. My friend passing away, me not playing to my potential in basketball practice and my struggles in personal relationships seemed to all hit me so much harder. Still, I told myself I could ride it out and that I was fine.....
....Telling your story is the easiest way to help end the stigma of mental health. I could list all the statistics in the world on suicide, but people relate to other people and their stories. We need more people to step up, face the fear of being vulnerable and tell their stories until it isn’t scary anymore.

When I was at my lowest, I didn’t feel like an accomplished athlete, and I didn’t feel worthy of stepping on the court. I thought I was only hurting my team, and that mindset made me feel even worse. Being critical of myself is a key reason I have become the basketball player I am today, but it is also partly responsible for all my struggles......

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Bethany`s Notes: A great article by Emily Potter and describing her battle with mental health, specifically depression. Each individual story is unique and noteworthy. Each person that speaks out lessens the stigma behind mental health. Do you have an athlete who would like to speak out? I`m interested in hearing their story.