In life, mental health is just as important as physical health.
That’s always the case, and professional sports are not an exception.
Mental issues and illnesses can be a silent burden, a load that only the person suffering them can understand.
But they are not alone.
MLB, specifically the Minnesota Twins, have put together an important campaign to raise awareness about mental health.
“Players, staff members and Twins employees all wore this shirt during workouts today to draw awareness and continue fighting the stigma surrounding mental health conversations in professional athletics. Falvey: ‘Hopefully, it normalizes when that conversation needs to happen,’” Twins insider Do-Hyoung Park tweeted.
Players, staff members and Twins employees all wore this shirt during workouts today to draw awareness and continue fighting the stigma surrounding mental health conversations in professional athletics.
Falvey: “Hopefully, it normalizes when that conversation needs to happen.” https://t.co/Wrv9pfzuDK
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) February 21, 2023
Older generations considered things like depression and anxiety as weak, but that was just ignorance taking over.
They are true illnesses, and must be treated properly.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg: unfortunately, there is a wide array of mental disorders that can affect an athlete.
And no, a baseball player is not weak because he had a bout of social anxiety or is depressed.
It’s an issue that needs to be treated by a qualified professional, just like every sickness or physical issue.
As long as teams, athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, front offices, and fans understand this, people will be more aware of their existence and what to do to seek help.
Help, in these cases, is extremely important.
It might seem like a small gesture, but what the Twins are doing is huge.
It’s important to fight the social stigma surrounding mental health.
Once we do it, we will be a better society.
NEXT: MLB Insider Comments On Twins' Latest Addition
