How Harry Kane, Owen Farrell and Simone Biles demonstrated the importance of sport during Mental Health Awareness Week

This Mental Health Awareness Week, talkSPORT is raising awareness of how sport can have a hugely beneficial effect on our lives.

The week runs from May 13 to 19 and the theme is “Movement: Moving More for Our Mental Health.”

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You don’t have to be a professional athlete to incorporate the benefits of exercise and activity into your daily life.

And it is important to recognize that footballers and athletes of all disciplines experience the same feelings and difficulties as the rest of us.

Former Arsenal striker Perry Groves is one of many men who have bravely shared their experiences of struggling with mental health issues during their sporting careers.

He told talkSPORT how he found himself “completely and utterly broken” during his playing career.

He said: “You didn’t talk about your feelings because you were worried that… your teammates might think you were weak and your manager might think you were mentally weak and not ready to play this week-end. “.

He added: “We forget that (athletes) are humans, that they are fundamentally human beings. They still experience the same feelings and emotions that we do.”

And it’s not just in football where the strain of being a professional athlete can take its toll.

Former England cricketer and Ashes winner Steve Harmison has also spoken about the homesickness and anxiety that affected him during some of the most difficult times of his career.

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He told talkSPORT: “The minute the door closed and I was in my own head – wow. What a dangerous place that was for me. No matter how tired I was, I couldn’t I mean, the thoughts were a million miles an hour in my head.”

But he expressed how grateful he was to his teammates, Andrew Flintoff and Rob Key, who offered him company and support during his difficult times.

He said: “They would make sure they were always there to keep me busy thinking positively and helping you through the next transition to get you on the right track.”

In recent years, many top athletes have drawn attention to the importance of talking about mental health.

Additionally, figures like former England rugby captain Owen Farrell have also been open about their willingness to take time away from sport to prioritize their mental health.

Hayley Jarvis is head of physical activity at mental health charity MIND – she told talkSPORT why athletes’ voices can be so influential.

“I think we’ve seen more people talking about mental health in society and particularly in sport,” she said. “Adam Peaty, Simone Biles, Ben Stokes, Ben Chilwell and even Harry Kane have spoken about mental health.

She added: “It normalizes the conversation – if it’s OK for them to be open, then it’s something we can do in our daily lives.

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“We also know from research that more than a quarter of people said that hearing a celebrity or sports star talk about mental health had inspired them to seek help and support themselves. So I think It’s incredibly powerful.”

With this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme on movement, talkSPORT highlights how physical activity can have a positive impact on mental health.

Exercise and physical activity can have incalculable benefits, while connecting communities and strengthening social bonds.

Sport in Mind is an organization created to encourage just that by running community sports sessions that help people connect and stay active.

Founder and CEO Neil Harris told talkSPORT how they have engaged over 20,000 people in their sessions since the organization was founded, helping so many people get moving for their mental health.

He said: “Taking part in one of our activities is a big step for people, but once they engage with us the rewards for their mental, physical and social health are absolutely enormous.

He added: “We connect with people – we give them the opportunity to indulge in things like football, yoga, tai chi, running, walking and tennis. All the different sports which they would not normally have the opportunity to practice on their own.”

And Harris admitted the impact Sport in Mind has already had is nothing short of remarkable.

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He said: “People who hadn’t worked for over ten years joined Sport in Mind, improved their mental health, improved their physical health, developed their social skills and then returned to work.”

“I’m really proud of all the people who have come through our services and been able to move forward and return to work, education and training.”

For Groves and Harmison, in addition to advocating exercise, the importance of talking about what they were experiencing cannot be overstated.

Harmison explained that it wasn’t just the physical movement he wanted to bring awareness to, but also the movement of connecting with others and opening up.

He said: “You’re sitting there bottling it all up – but I can guarantee the person you’re talking to has had similar thoughts or knows someone who understands what those similar thoughts are.

“And maybe it will help you just by listening, just by talking about things. I think movement is just as important as exercise.”

“There’s an old saying that ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’… it’s one of the truest sayings I’ve ever heard,” Groves added.

“As soon as you talk about how you feel and express your emotions, you will find that others think and feel exactly the same as you.

“And once you share that with other people, it becomes a relief.”

If you are looking for help with mental health, please refer to the following resources for guidance.

Mental health – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

How to seek help for a mental health problem – Mind

Sport in Mind – the UK’s sport and mental health charity

Contact us | Samaritans