Among global news headlines that are making waves this week is the exit of American-Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka from the French Open after an initial disagreement with officials about taking part in press conferences. The events turned sour after the athlete announced that she would no longer be taking part in post-match press conferences noting that they were detrimental for her mental health. Initially, the development saw her fined $15000 by the French Open and warned that she risks expulsion from the tournament. Later, Osaka ended up withdrawing from the tournament a day later in what she cited as allowing participants to focus on tennis and not wanting to be a distraction. In her statement, she said that she has suffered from long bouts of depression since the 2018 US Open final. Osaka’s decision to focus on her mental health and walk away from the tourney which she had high chances of winning was not initially positively received by the organizers as they expected her to fulfil her press obligations. The social commentating that has followed her announcement and exit reveal low understanding on mental health across the world. While a few understand the need for the athlete to protect her mental wellness, a large section of commentators see it as an effort to go against set tradition and have further called for her to be severely punished. This goes to show how mental health is yet to be considered a significant concern in modern day work places and jobs which is among the top reasons why millions globally end up depressed while others remain hesitant to reveal their mental health issues. It’s also common to come across dismissive statements such as “You are too young to have mental issues” or “I have too many real problems to get depressed”. All this points towards low awareness of mental health. Probably, a place to start would be work places (for the employed), schools (for learners) as well as other communal groupings to make them safe spaces for those dealing with mental health concerns.
