Maximizing Life with Our Mental Health, Part 1
No matter how we present ourselves on the outside, the commonality we share on the inside is balancing our mental health.
Moreover, for those wondering if they are alone in struggling with mental health, the fact of the matter is that many share this struggle. According to the National Institute of Mental Health’s website, nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness, which equates to 51.5 million Americans in 2019.
For the past 72 years, Mental Health Awareness Month has highlighted how each of us can reduce stigmas surrounding mental illnesses and living with a mental illness, as well as how people can achieve mental-health wellness.
For Ashley Hobbs, Associate Editor for ThePodiumFinish.net, she’s made each day this month count by letting others know she does not feel alone.
“This month gives a spotlight on mental health and mental illness,” Hobbs said. “We all know how important it is to keep our physical body healthy, but we often neglect our mind. In order to have total wellness, you have to have physical and mental health. Mental health does not discriminate. It can impact everyone at any time.”
As the nation reels from racial injustices in recent times, Hobbs acknowledges that those living with a mental illness should be kept in mind.
“We talk openly about different injustices and this should include those with a mental illness,” she said. “We are the largest minority group. We are stigmatized in so many ways: incapable, weak, lazy, loner, etc. But there's way more to me than my anxiety. Most people who first meet me, I am usually spunky and outgoing. I'm an extrovert by nature--typically not a thing for someone with a mental illness.”
Moreover, Hobbs points out how others can be more accepting of those like her.
“We're just like non-neurodiverse folks,” she said. “We're just wired a little different. By talking about our mental health, we let others know that they are not alone. No matter how lonely you think you are, you are not alone.”
Similarly, 22-year-old Michael Klein, a USAC NOS Energy Midget Series racer, strives toward having the best mental health each day. All told, acceptance starts with help and compassion.
“I started seeing a therapist who had experience working with athletes,” Klein said. “Being able to talk about issues I face in the sport was probably the biggest help. When it comes to how I manage it on race weekends, I find the power of prayer to help me significantly.
“You'll often see me praying in my car before heading onto the track, which is often the most stressful time for me. I also found that doing meditation exercises on the road to help out. I also try to interact as much as I can with other people at the track. Sometimes just being able to hang loose with others is enough to help me.”
Mental health awareness came to the forefront particularly during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the world came to a halt, people staying at home and away from family and friends became the norm, and the pandemic has tested the mental resolve of many individuals.
In Klein’s case, he tried to keep busy while continuing to attend therapy sessions.
“I tried to surround myself with things that I enjoyed and trying to remain productive as much as I could,” Klein said. “Fortunately, as an essential worker, I was able to maintain steady employment throughout the pandemic. Outside of that, I used regular virtual therapy sessions to help maintain as positive a mental state as I could.
“I also tried maintaining constant social interaction when physical interaction wasn't possible, such as video chats and online gaming. Doing this has also helped me interact with people who are also struggling through the pandemic and helps me know that even though we were physically distant, we weren't alone, which helps everyone involved.”
As Klein pursues his full-time dream of competing in motorsports, he hopes to be an ally and advocate for those knowing they are not alone even when the going gets tough.
“Unfortunately, I know this from experience. In high school when I tried talking to a counselor about the issues I was facing and I ended up being kicked out of school for being perceived as a threat to myself and other students and they made me feel like it was my fault I was having these problems. This kept me from speaking out about them again until I hit my breaking point in my freshman year of college.
“After this experience, I want to use my platform as a racer to be an ambassador for change in how the sport and our society in general treats mental illness.”
Sophomore NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Harrison Burton recently shared how and why it is OK to understand and accept when he is not feeling OK.
"That's a tough thing to tell yourself,” Burton said. “I think everyone's had moments like that. I know I have personally where things are rough, you're down on yourself or whatever it may be. And in my business, it's not out there for everyone to see. When you're having a bad weekend, there's 150 people that are there to tell you that you're having a bad weekend. And there's one person that's telling you, 'Hey, good job.' When you have a good weekend, it's the opposite.”
Facing the pressures of succeeding in the No. 20 Toyota Camry, Burton pointed out how he’s coped with his internal struggles and how they relate to others.
"It's a tough, tough thing and it's really important,” he said in an earnest tone. “I feel like at a young age, I've had some rough experiences with that sort of thing. From that, I feel like I've been a better person. For me, the biggest thing is just always knowing it is normal and it's OK and moving on and trying to be better from it. It's how I approach racing and things of that nature and life in general. Hey, I made a mistake, or hey, things are not going well. How can I be better from this and how can I move on? Keeping that mindset and others to have that mindset is a good thing. It's a tough uphill battle but gosh, it's the one we're fighting."
In Part II of this feature, we’ll further explore how those in the racing world experienced and dealt with their mental health.
Written by Rob Tiongson, May 27, 2021
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