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Elite athletes are often praised for their resilience, grit and mental toughness. But Steve Mesler, 2010 Olympic gold medalist in the bobsled, explains how those same qualities can quietly become barriers to mental health support.
In a recent episode of LifeStance Health’s Convos from the Couch podcast, Mesler shared candid insights into why vulnerability is so difficult for elite athletes, how depression nearly cost him his life and how he is now working to support future generations through the non-profit organization Classroom Champions.
Why vulnerability feels unsafe at the Olympic level
At the highest level of sport, competition is relentless and vulnerability can feel risky. Mesler described elite athletics as a true meritocracy, where athletes are constantly evaluated and replaced if they appear weak.
“When you’re at that level, the concept of vulnerability as an athlete is dangerous,” Mesler explained. “If you’re going to ask for help, it means you need help. It means you need something.”
In bobsledding, where team selection includes subjectivity, Mesler knew there were dozens of athletes waiting for his seat.
“There were 20 guys that would’ve done anything to be in my seat, and I knew that. So, the concept of vulnerability was something that was just foreign.”
Subsequently, this fiercely competitive environment conditions athletes to suppress pain, especially mental and emotional pain.
“If you were sick or if you were hurt, the sharks would circle,” he said. “From a mental aspect, you didn’t let it go there.”
While this perseverance and masking of emotions can drive performance, they may also create long-term harm. Mesler emphasized that athletes are rarely taught which mental skills serve them in sport and which ones need to be re-examined once competition ends. The result is a culture where asking for help feels incompatible with success, even when mental health challenges are mounting beneath the surface.
Living with depression after Olympic success
Despite achieving an Olympic gold medal, leadership roles, professional success and a growing family, Mesler found himself facing severe depression after his athletic career.
He shared that he reached a point where simply getting through the day felt impossible. The inner drive that once fueled his athletic success had gone quiet. His sense of purpose flattened. Even activities that once brought energy and joy no longer did. At the worst point of his depression, he even contemplated suicide.
“I’ve competed in the Olympic Games with six guys. I’ve had to bury two of them from takin