Chelsea defender Niamh Charles knows how important it is to talk and wants others to do the same, through good times and bad.
Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, which begins today, the full-back spoke on the We Are Chelsea podcast about his journey with mental health and how the demands and pressures of being a professional athlete have affected his mental health. He spoke frankly about what he was giving.
Charles doesn’t shy away from the battles he has faced as the ups and downs of the sport sometimes take their toll. She explained that although the path so far has not been linear, she feels the England international is well-equipped to deal with any challenges he may face in the future.
“It’s not like, ‘Okay, it’s fixed now,’ and now I know how to deal with it,” Charles explained.
“The last few weeks of the season I’ve definitely been able to cope better than before because I’ve been working really hard and talking to people around me that have helped me.”
“It’s not true to say, ‘I just know how to cope now,’ because I’m obviously much better. But I hope that in five years I’ll be even better. It’s a constant journey and something I’m really passionate about.
“It’s a daily thing and we have to work on it in the same way we work on the physical and technical side of the game, knowing that we can always improve with it and that we can always improve our mental health. We need to work on it because we need the time. ”
The physicality of football is evident even to those in the stands. The same goes for the techniques required at the highest level. But as Charles emphasizes, an invisible but important part of the game is what’s going on inside the players’ heads.
And she believes that has been evident in some of the Blues’ performances this season.
“We’ve had ups and downs in our games over the last few weeks,” Charles added. “It’s a mental strain. Like against Bristol City, we were just going with the flow and a lot of it was mental. I don’t know how big of a difference that makes. I will never forget it.”
Charles has already achieved a lot of success in his career and knows that it is just as important to open up during good times as it is to ask for help during difficult times.
Speaking hasn’t always been easy for the 24-year-old. And she admits that’s easier said than done. However, her openness allowed Charles to recognize her accomplishments and struggles.
“It sounds easy to say, ‘Go and talk to someone,’ but I wasn’t very good at that, so I had to hone that,” Charles said. “It’s not just when you’re suffering. Even when you’re at your highest, it’s still part of your mental health.
“I don’t want the time to reach out to you when you’re struggling. For better or for worse, every day. Be intentional about giving yourself the time and space you need.
“As athletes, we are not robots. Even though it would be nice to be a robot, it makes it very difficult to achieve high performance.” We must take care of our mental health as much as our physical health.
“It’s a physical game, but a lot of it is also played in your head.”
