Mental health experts praise Lewis Hamilton for his recent revelations and hope that they will have a “strong impact”.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is known for speaking openly about mental health issues. In a recent interview, he revealed how early on he had to deal with bullying and depression. A leading mental health charity has now praised him for doing so.
“We are grateful to Lewis Hamilton for speaking so openly about his experiences with depression and the impact that racism has had on him for many years,“ Joe Levenson of Mind told Autosport.
”Speaking up can help normalize conversations and combat the stigma that so often surrounds mental health,” he emphasized. “At Mind, we know that when public figures talk openly about their mental health, it can have a huge impact.“
”Our research showed that one in five people started a conversation about their mental health after hearing about a celebrity or public figure sharing their experiences.”
Hamilton: mental health issues early on
As Hamilton recently revealed in an interview with the Sunday Times Style magazine: “When I was in my twenties, I had some really difficult phases. I mean, I’ve struggled with mental health issues my whole life,” the seven-time Formula One world champion revealed there.
“Depression. Very early on, when I was about 13 years old. I think it was the pressure of racing and problems at school. The bullying. I didn’t have anyone to talk to.” He did talk to a therapist a few years ago, “but it wasn’t really helpful.”
“Today I would like to find someone,” says Hamilton. Talking about it and sharing helps. But the Briton was not always as open as he is today. ‘If I felt that there was injustice, I didn’t feel that I could speak up about it,’ the 39-year-old admits.
Hamilton wants to use his platform in a meaningful way
However, Hamilton can clearly identify the moment when he realized he wanted to use his position to point out injustices.
It was after he saw a video of the murder of George Floyd. “The knot burst. I sank to my knees and cried, all these emotions came out. It was such a strange experience because I don’t remember crying since I was very young. I knew I had had enough.”
“There are people who remain silent, people who feel speechless, and I have this platform. Winning championships is a great thing, but what do you do with it? What do you do with your time on this planet?”
