Latest news with #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth
CNN
24-07-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Why record-breaking athlete Abdelrahman Elaraby is about more than just swimming
EDITOR'S NOTE: Help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters. In the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide also can provide contact information for crisis centers around the world. For all Abdelrahman Elaraby's success as an athlete, swimming is a passion simultaneously pursued intensely and held at arm's length. 'You'll never find me talking about swimming outside the pool,' the 25-year-old Egyptian told CNN Sports. Few people even knew that he had broken the African record in the men's 50m butterfly in Monaco in May until the news was shared publicly. When one of his friends checked to make sure he was OK after not hearing from him for a few days, Elaraby simply responded, ''Yeah man, I just … became the fastest African in history so I feel great.' 'And he was like … 'How did you not tell anybody?'' Elaraby recalled. For him, focusing on life outside swimming is just as important as his goals in the sport. There is time for training in the pool and at the gym, 'and then outside that we can find some other stuff to do,' he added. 'I'm very family-oriented … I read, I journal, I could go crazy if I leave my house without journaling in the morning or praying or reading the Quran.' Still, even as the fifth fastest man in the world this year over his preferred distance – the 50m butterfly – Elaraby prefers not to think about swimming as a career, wary of the trap he fell into earlier in his life. It was Elaraby's mom who first introduced him to swimming as a child in Cairo, searching for any way to tire out her young, chatty, social son who had been diagnosed with ADHD. 'So many people told her: 'He's the slowest kid on the team. What are you doing?'' Elaraby said. But she stuck with it and her son improved, drawn to the sport by the friends he found there. In 2018, he became Egypt's national champion in the 50m fly and won bronze in the 50m freestyle at the Junior Olympic Games. Aged 18, he left Egypt on a scholarship for the University of Louisville (Kentucky), competing on the swim team. However, while at Louisville, in March 2022, he attempted to take his own life. He had lost his passion for swimming and that spiralled into feelings of worthlessness, he said in a 2023 video made by the University of Louisville for Mental Health Awareness Month. He overdosed on medication and was taken to hospital, where he fell into a coma. When Elaraby recovered, he was transferred to a 'mental health hospital,' but even then, his thoughts were on returning to competitive swimming, he said in the video. In the time since March 2022, Elaraby has spoken of 'reclaiming' his life, of finding purpose and fulfillment again. Part of that has involved getting closer to his Muslim faith, he said. Another part has been by reducing the time he spends on his phone, instead using it to try things like learning a musical instrument and 'reading more about topics in life,' like the philosophy of Stoicism. And another is by considering: 'Who do I allow in my life?' 'I'm the fastest person to block people now (on social media) … just being part of each other's life is a great honor,' he told CNN Sports. Although 2023 was tough and he considered quitting swimming, he threw himself into his training and won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title in the men's 50m freestyle. In 2023, he left Louisville and swam for the University of Notre Dame, but after graduating, he began working full-time at a non-profit that helps college athletes break into the world of work, giving himself something to focus on beside his training. 'I got so stuck on the idea that I need to win, not because I want to win, I need to win because, if I win, I'm going to make this amount of money; if I win, I'm going to get seen by this amount of investors or sponsors,' he said. 'And it took away from the beauty and the love I have for the sport.' Last year, he was 'ready to quit' after failing to qualify for the Egyptian Olympic team. He didn't have a coach. Notre Dame's swim team was suspended for a year due to 'possible misconduct' and gambling violations and Elaraby says he was not seen as a training priority; he had 'every reason' to stop. Only a passing comment made by an Egyptian entrepreneur while she was interviewing him persuaded Elaraby to continue swimming. 'You should go back to swimming, but not because you want to achieve things, it's because this is what you love,' he recalled her saying. So he returned to the pool and trained three or four times a week. But without any serious weight training, he went to the World Championships last year in Budapest, Hungary, knowing he was 'absolutely out of shape.' There he finished joint 34th in the 50m butterfly and realized that 'being here just for the fun of the sport is not what I wanted. It's not fulfilling.' Determined to become a world-class athlete again, Elaraby took it upon himself to buy books about coaching, learned how to coach himself and set up competitions at the end of every month to focus his training blocks. That approach has paid off, allowing him to break that African 50m fly record and resurrect his goal of qualifying for the Olympics. In a moment of serendipity, Elaraby's preferred 50m butterfly event, as well as the 50m breaststroke and backstroke, will be included at the 2028 Olympics for the first time in the Games' history. This news made Elaraby 'so excited,' he said, adding that he believes competing at the Olympics in his preferred event would give him respect that he's previously been denied. But, even with such lofty goals, Elaraby's life remains multifaceted, concentrated as much outside the pool as inside it. After his suicide attempt, he shared his story in the hope of encouraging others, particularly men, to seek help when they need it. Opening up publicly initially provoked two types of reactions, he said. '(Some) people were like, 'Why are you talking about it? This is a very private matter. You should keep it to yourself' … And then a lot of people were like 'We feel seen, thank you, you're so courageous,'' he said. Speaking so publicly about his mental health and advocating for others to take better care of theirs comes with a complex responsibility. As time went on, Elaraby became wary of people taking his message and using it 'to find an excuse not to do things.' 'I don't want to drown a whole generation while I'm trying to save some people,' he said. 'I don't want to create a world of mentally weak individuals – I'm just trying to allow people to see mental health the right way, just as physical health. I'm not asking people to curl up and cry. I'm just asking people to get help, just like (when) you break an arm.'
CNN
24-07-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Why record-breaking athlete Abdelrahman Elaraby is about more than just swimming
EDITOR'S NOTE: Help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters. In the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide also can provide contact information for crisis centers around the world. For all Abdelrahman Elaraby's success as an athlete, swimming is a passion simultaneously pursued intensely and held at arm's length. 'You'll never find me talking about swimming outside the pool,' the 25-year-old Egyptian told CNN Sports. Few people even knew that he had broken the African record in the men's 50m butterfly in Monaco in May until the news was shared publicly. When one of his friends checked to make sure he was OK after not hearing from him for a few days, Elaraby simply responded, ''Yeah man, I just … became the fastest African in history so I feel great.' 'And he was like … 'How did you not tell anybody?'' Elaraby recalled. For him, focusing on life outside swimming is just as important as his goals in the sport. There is time for training in the pool and at the gym, 'and then outside that we can find some other stuff to do,' he added. 'I'm very family-oriented … I read, I journal, I could go crazy if I leave my house without journaling in the morning or praying or reading the Quran.' Still, even as the fifth fastest man in the world this year over his preferred distance – the 50m butterfly – Elaraby prefers not to think about swimming as a career, wary of the trap he fell into earlier in his life. It was Elaraby's mom who first introduced him to swimming as a child in Cairo, searching for any way to tire out her young, chatty, social son who had been diagnosed with ADHD. 'So many people told her: 'He's the slowest kid on the team. What are you doing?'' Elaraby said. But she stuck with it and her son improved, drawn to the sport by the friends he found there. In 2018, he became Egypt's national champion in the 50m fly and won bronze in the 50m freestyle at the Junior Olympic Games. Aged 18, he left Egypt on a scholarship for the University of Louisville (Kentucky), competing on the swim team. However, while at Louisville, in March 2022, he attempted to take his own life. He had lost his passion for swimming and that spiralled into feelings of worthlessness, he said in a 2023 video made by the University of Louisville for Mental Health Awareness Month. He overdosed on medication and was taken to hospital, where he fell into a coma. When Elaraby recovered, he was transferred to a 'mental health hospital,' but even then, his thoughts were on returning to competitive swimming, he said in the video. In the time since March 2022, Elaraby has spoken of 'reclaiming' his life, of finding purpose and fulfillment again. Part of that has involved getting closer to his Muslim faith, he said. Another part has been by reducing the time he spends on his phone, instead using it to try things like learning a musical instrument and 'reading more about topics in life,' like the philosophy of Stoicism. And another is by considering: 'Who do I allow in my life?' 'I'm the fastest person to block people now (on social media) … just being part of each other's life is a great honor,' he told CNN Sports. Although 2023 was tough and he considered quitting swimming, he threw himself into his training and won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title in the men's 50m freestyle. In 2023, he left Louisville and swam for the University of Notre Dame, but after graduating, he began working full-time at a non-profit that helps college athletes break into the world of work, giving himself something to focus on beside his training. 'I got so stuck on the idea that I need to win, not because I want to win, I need to win because, if I win, I'm going to make this amount of money; if I win, I'm going to get seen by this amount of investors or sponsors,' he said. 'And it took away from the beauty and the love I have for the sport.' Last year, he was 'ready to quit' after failing to qualify for the Egyptian Olympic team. He didn't have a coach. Notre Dame's swim team was suspended for a year due to 'possible misconduct' and gambling violations and Elaraby says he was not seen as a training priority; he had 'every reason' to stop. Only a passing comment made by an Egyptian entrepreneur while she was interviewing him persuaded Elaraby to continue swimming. 'You should go back to swimming, but not because you want to achieve things, it's because this is what you love,' he recalled her saying. So he returned to the pool and trained three or four times a week. But without any serious weight training, he went to the World Championships last year in Budapest, Hungary, knowing he was 'absolutely out of shape.' There he finished joint 34th in the 50m butterfly and realized that 'being here just for the fun of the sport is not what I wanted. It's not fulfilling.' Determined to become a world-class athlete again, Elaraby took it upon himself to buy books about coaching, learned how to coach himself and set up competitions at the end of every month to focus his training blocks. That approach has paid off, allowing him to break that African 50m fly record and resurrect his goal of qualifying for the Olympics. In a moment of serendipity, Elaraby's preferred 50m butterfly event, as well as the 50m breaststroke and backstroke, will be included at the 2028 Olympics for the first time in the Games' history. This news made Elaraby 'so excited,' he said, adding that he believes competing at the Olympics in his preferred event would give him respect that he's previously been denied. But, even with such lofty goals, Elaraby's life remains multifaceted, concentrated as much outside the pool as inside it. After his suicide attempt, he shared his story in the hope of encouraging others, particularly men, to seek help when they need it. Opening up publicly initially provoked two types of reactions, he said. '(Some) people were like, 'Why are you talking about it? This is a very private matter. You should keep it to yourself' … And then a lot of people were like 'We feel seen, thank you, you're so courageous,'' he said. Speaking so publicly about his mental health and advocating for others to take better care of theirs comes with a complex responsibility. As time went on, Elaraby became wary of people taking his message and using it 'to find an excuse not to do things.' 'I don't want to drown a whole generation while I'm trying to save some people,' he said. 'I don't want to create a world of mentally weak individuals – I'm just trying to allow people to see mental health the right way, just as physical health. I'm not asking people to curl up and cry. I'm just asking people to get help, just like (when) you break an arm.'
IOL News
10-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
The silent struggle of panic attacks: how South Africans cope daily
Panic attacks are a mental health condition characterised by unexpected, intense episodes of fear and physical discomfort, which can feel utterly disabling. Image: Pavel Danilyuk /pexels July marks Mental Health Awareness Month in South Africa, and on 10 July, we pause to spotlight something many people live with but few talk about openly: panic attacks. But here's the thing, panic doesn't always look the way you might imagine. Sometimes it's loud and visible; other times, it hides behind a composed face, a polite smile or an empty chair at the dinner table. This year, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) has chosen a theme that couldn't be more real: 'The Panic You Don't See.' It reminds us that panic disorder and anxiety are not always about gasping for air or clutching your chest in public. It's a mental health condition marked by unexpected, intense episodes of fear and physical discomfort that can feel utterly disabling. Often, it's the silent dread, the racing heartbeat in the middle of a meeting, or the countless invitations quietly declined. 'Panic doesn't always look like gasping for air, it can be the quiet no‑shows, the life slowly shrinking behind closed doors, says Dr Colinda Linde, SADAG board chairperson and clinical psychologist. "On Panic Day, let's speak up about the panic you don't see, because naming it is the first step to overcoming it.' Panic attacks can manifest loudly and visibly, or they can be concealed behind a composed expression, a polite smile, or even an empty seat at the dinner table. Image: MART PRODUCTION What does panic really feel like? If you've never had a panic attack, it can feel almost impossible to picture. Imagine suddenly feeling an overwhelming wave of fear or dread, even when nothing around you seems obviously wrong. You might feel your heart race, your chest tighten, or your breath catch. Some people feel dizzy, shaky, or disconnected from reality, like watching life through frosted glass. And while these feelings are intensely real and terrifying, the outside world might see someone who looks completely fine. That gap between what's happening inside and what's visible outside can make living with panic disorder deeply isolating. Why can panic stay hidden? Linde explains that people with panic disorder often become experts at masking their distress, especially in public or professional spaces. Every day, moments can feel overwhelming. But from the outside, it just looks like someone who is composed. And for many South Africans, especially men, the pressure to 'hold it together' can be even greater. This silent struggle can lead to self-isolation, as individuals avoid situations that might trigger an attack. Over time, their world shrinks, impacting relationships, work, and overall well-being. SADAG founder Zane Wilson, who battled panic attacks for over a decade, shares: 'Panic Disorder can be a terrifying illness that causes great distress, isolation, and limits your life. For years, I suffered in silence. "But with the right treatment and support, I was able to recover fully and take back control of my life.'
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'I took that personally' — Stephen Curry's wife Ayesha Curry regretted her interview with Jada Pinkett Smith
Ayesha Curry and Jada Pinkett Smith. Image via:|In a candid new conversation with Insider, Ayesha Curry , author, entrepreneur, and wife of NBA superstar Stephen Curry, opened up about her growing discomfort with the spotlight. It was a reflection shaped by years of public scrutiny. She particularly expressed regret over her 2019 appearance on Jada Pinkett Smith 's Red Table Talk, which she says misrepresented her and ultimately shifted her view of fame, privacy, and the public's expectations of celebrity families. Ayesha Curry reflects on media exposure and Red Table Talk with Jada Pinkett Smith, regret Ayesha Curry's journey into public life began organically, as her husband's NBA career skyrocketed with the Golden State Warriors. She was a frequent guest on talk shows, celebrated for her relatable charm and culinary ventures. But behind the public appearances was a growing internal conflict. It became more evident after she appeared in the Red Table Talk interview with Jada Pinkett Smith in May 2019. undefined During that appearance, Ayesha spoke frankly about her insecurities as the wife of a high-profile athlete and how she navigated the attention Steph Curry received from other women. 'Stephen is very nice by nature. And he's very talkative. … Obviously, you know, the devil is a liar. The ladies will always be lurking, hoping for their moment and waiting. You need to be aware of that,' she said on the show. 'I honestly hate it. … We had the conversation about it, and he tries really, really hard if we're going somewhere, he's introduced me. I don't like to have to introduce myself.' Looking back, Ayesha told Business Insider in 2023 that she was blindsided by how the interview was edited. 'It's not what I said, and the context was weird,' she explained. 'Yeah. I took that one personally.' According to her, the episode portrayed her in a way that didn't reflect the truth of what she shared. 'When the social media thing started, nobody knew what that was going to become,' she said. 'If we had known back in the day just how chaotic it would make life, I don't think we would've done it.' Following backlash from her Red Table Talk appearance, Ayesha addressed critics through an emotional Instagram post on May 8, 2019. 'I have never been one to cage my feelings and emotions to any capacity. I am human,' she wrote. 'It brings me pure joy to speak my mind, be vulnerable at times and to know myself inside and out.' Recognizing that it was Mental Health Awareness Month, she added, 'I really want to take the time to encourage everyone to speak their truth regardless of perception, fitting into a mold or offending someone, because it's YOUR truth. And that's okay!' Despite her issues with the editing, she still expressed gratitude toward Jada Pinkett Smith: 'There is so much more depth to the talk and our family is grateful to @jadapinkettsmith for giving us the opportunity to bond together.' Also Read: Julie Vanloo gets heartbreaking news from Golden State Valkyries right after international flight touches down Years passed by, and Ayesha has long since gotten over that huge public scrutiny. She has been a proud wife and mother to her children. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
The Citizen
19-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
PS Secondary raises R12 388 for charity
The Young Ambassadors' Programme led by South Coast Hospice and the Rotary Interact Club drove three major fundraising initiatives – Happy Feet, Sprayathon and the Butterfly Project at Port Shepstone Secondary recently. The Sprayathon garnered much appreciation. Learners paid to have their hair sprayed in bold colours, the organisers were left richer for the experience to co-ordinate and work as a team, while still raising money for hospice. All proceeds were donated to hospice towards their palliative care services for those in need. The Butterfly Project included several mini fundraisers to raise awareness for Mental Health Awareness Month in May. The Young Ambassadors adorned themselves with an item of green, in keeping with the month's theme. The club executed their duties with enthusiasm by selling green butterfly ribbons, raffle tickets, bringing a plushie to school tickets (this was a means of advocating for comfort when struggling with mental health), and photographs could be taken with the huge butterfly wings lent to the school by hospice for the event. Another popular fundraiser was Happy Feet by the Rotary Interact Club, where students bought tickets to use 'anything but school shoes' to school for the day. The SPCA was the worthy recipient of the proceeds from this drive. Overall, R12 388 was raised for charity. The school gained a new motto for the month: Be positive. Be change. Be green. HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Herald's Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
