- Australian swimmer has opened up about her mental health battle
- Leisel Jones almost took her own life 14 years ago while in Spain
- Those in crisis are urged to seek help on Australia’s free hotline, Lifeline 13 11 14
Three-time Olympic gold medal winner Leisel Jones broke down while opening up about her mental health battle and how 14 years ago she almost took her own life.
The swimming legend was a guest speaker at the Albury Wodonga Winter Solstice on Saturday night where she urged people to reach out for help if they need it.
‘I’d really like to talk about the hope and the light at the end of the tunnel,’ Jones said.
‘And I distinctly remember sitting down with my psychologist after 2011 when I had contemplated taking my own life.
‘I remember Lisa saying to me, she said there is light at the end of the tunnel. I was like, who bloody blew it out because I can’t see it, and I just feel like it’s never getting any closer, but extraordinarily it does.
‘And that light will always be there, but you just have to find it, and sometimes you do have to light it yourself.
Olympic swimmer Leisel Jones broke down while opening up about her mental health battle
Jones has been very open about her struggles with mental health over the years
‘It’s a lot of hard work. You do have to work through it, but the first thing is recognising that you may have a problem and that you may want to work through it. It is incredibly brave to go and seek help.
‘I personally, I’ve got a mental health care plan. I’m about to start with a psychologist on Tuesday. It’s all about taking that first step, getting in there, really digging deep.
‘It’s gritty, it’s awful, and it sometimes feel like it’s a waste of time. But trust me, it’s so worth it, because there is hope out there.’
The decorated athlete contemplated suicide in 2011 while she was on a training holiday in Spain.
But her coach at the time, and current Head Coach of Swimming Australia, Rohan Taylor interrupted her and took her to get the help she desperately needed.
‘I did not care for my mental health whatsoever, because it was completely neglected and was not important, and even as a youngster, when I was coming up, I was told that we were not allowed to use psychologists, because psychologists were for weak athletes,’ she said.
‘So I was denied access to a psychologist as a 14 year-old girl who was going to her first Olympic Games.
‘And that was devastating to me, because I really could have benefited talking about mental health, because I did not believe I was a weak athlete.
Jones says that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for those struggling
‘I believed I was very strong, but I just did not have that connection with strong mental health and a strong body. So that internal connection between mind and body is so important.’
Jones won 14 individual world records, nine Olympic medals, 10 Commonwealth Games Gold medals and 23 National titles during her career.
Anyone struggling with their mental health is urged to call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
