Former University of Michigan swimmer G Ryan addressed their personal struggles with depression and anxiety in a new video from Michigan’s Athletes Connected mental health program.
Ryan, who finished their collegiate eligibility last spring, talks about the impact Michigan’s Athletes Connected program (and other resources) had on their mental health during their collegiate years. You can watch the rougly-four-minute video above.
Ryan is a non-binary person who prefers the pronouns “they” and “them,” but competed on the women’s team at Michigan. In the video, Ryan talks about their struggles with depression and anxiety even before beginning their college years at Michigan. Ryan runs through a number of programs that helped with mental health throughout their college career.
Mental health is an issue that more and more high-level athletes are coming forward about. We’ve covered Michigan’s Athletes Connected program as its grown, aiming to increase awareness of mental health issues and help student-athletes take care of their own mental health. The program has long had distinct ties to the swimming & diving program, and Ryan is the latest Michigan swimmer to appear in connection to the program.
G has a beautiful stroke. It’s great to see that they haven’t lost their love for swimming even after all of their struggles.
Good on Gillian for sharing this, but also good on Michigan for having this program. Also, good luck with the Vortex.
Good on you G, thank you for your story.
Anxiety, depression and addiction are very real brain issues. I applaud any person who publicly addresses any of those. I realize G RYAN addresses only 2 specifically. As virtually every family in our country is affected by one, two or all three is significant. If only all people would love others, be open-minded and compassionate.
Courageous
I so appreciate G’s sharing and openness on these topics. Oftentimes non binary athletes feel unsafe or ashamed because of the gendered nature of sports, but just some visibility can make the biggest difference. Not to mention the prevalence of mental health issues in sports that are too often shoved under the rug. This is so important and so awesome for athletes of all ages to see.
There are only 2 genders
A comment like yours is why there’s so much depression and suicides. Learn to be more accepting and tolerant. Others have to tolerate you.
Some people need to hear the truth…
I suggest you listen to people’s stories. You don’t have to agree with their actions, or or give it a badge of honor. I suggest you atleast just listen to their stories and just actually listen. Everyone’s got things to deal with in life, why torment a group of people because of the way they feel?
It is good to seek help for depression no matter what is causing it. Suicide is never the answer. Good on G for seeking help. And good on M for trying to help.
Confusion over gender or sexual orientation may be a person’s struggle in life… but trying to create our own “categories” or thinking that gender is simply an idea we have of ourselves or that culture or society dictates is simply not true. And saying so doesn’t make me a bigot or intolerant of someone because they are struggling with this issue.
Gender runs deeper than our outward appearance… and someone like Caitlyn Jenner still possesses the soul of a man no matter what surgery has done to… Read more »
Yet there are transgendered athletes. Worry more about improving yourself and less about categorizing.
Gender is a social construct. In the history of humanity is has never been a fixed and concrete entity, either between cultures or across cultures.
That said, kudos to G Ryan for speaking up on the mental health needs of all athletes.
Gender is an evolutionary construct.
I don’t agree. Gender relates to ideas and not physiology. There are however, only 2 sexes (XX and XY). G considers theyself (I personnally don’t like they or them as both are plural and G is only one person–but whatever) non-binary gender, but will always have XX chromosomes of the female sex. G also must realize this by competing on the women’s team, which i applaud. It is frustrating when an XY competes on a women’s team. Despite any hormonal or other treatment, they still have an unfair physiologic advantage.
Lol
Scientifically speaking, even sex is not binary. XX and XY are most people, but there are people born with XXY chromosomes, or XY with an “invisible” Y that is not expressed.
Please comment as to how exactly this issue affects you personally, and why you should even care. Your opinion is noted, but it’s also noted that you are posting your opinion to be confrontational.