It’s not all sunshine and roses out here. But sometimes, the world comes together beautifully to fight against injustice. Mental pressure can get to anyone, but those like Mike Trout are fighting against it. After losing his best friend and brother-in-law to suicide in 2018, the Los Angeles Angels slugger launched a campaign to help struggling others. And he’s not alone.
Several athletes have spoken out about being open about one’s mental health struggles. Because, frankly, we’re all human. No one will question an athlete for physical injuries, but when the mind is troubled, there are incredibly nuanced ways to deal with it. But Mike Trout continues the fight, showing no one is weak for asking for help. And all of MLB stands united with him.
Angels and Giants Openly Join Mike Trout’s Mental Health Cause
“Your game is not over yet,” says Trout’s campaign slogan. Before taking any major steps to deal with a problem, one tries to ask others around them to help. Then why should mental health be any different? Being perceived as weak is usually the number one reason many don’t speak about it but Mike Trout wants to break that stigma.
Joining up with Tiny Turnip, the slugger has released merch for his campaign. And in a wonderful show of solidarity, the rest of his team showed up to batting practice wearing red t-shirts for the same recently. What’s more, the San Francisco Giants, who the Angels are playing against currently, joined the cause in black t-shirts of their own. Tiny Turnip posted a sweet compilation of the players posing for pictures in their gear to Instagram.
“The Angels and Giants players unite at batting practice, sporting Tiny Turnip ‘Your game isn’t over yet’ shirts, showing their support for Jess & Mike Trout and their incredible cause to support suicide prevention. 🙌 Let’s take a moment to appreciate these amazing men who remind us that your game isn’t over yet; and it’s okay to ask for help. Together, we’re stronger! 🙌” they wrote in the caption.
Kevin Love and Dak Prescott’s Fight
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has singlehandedly taken on the burden of spreading mental health awareness in the NFL. After losing his brother to suicide, Prescott experienced a surge of anxiety, something he had always experienced as a 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. But given his status as a star QB, he felt unable to open up easily.
Things culminated for Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love in a game against the Atlanta Hawks when he suffered a panic attack. It was a huge turning point, after which he wrote a very personal article in The Player’s Tribune, detailing his struggles with depression and anxiety.
Of course, not everyone was happy with these athletic males opening up about their mental health struggles. But in these sensitive times, a majority of the sports world opened up in an outpouring of love and support. By being brave, these men had given courage to many others to open up too. They had essentially saved lives, and that is exactly what the 11x All-Star wants to do.
In times when the world seems determined to break you down, it’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay, in short, to not be okay because you’re not alone.
