ABC
On the latest episode of Anh’s Brush With Fame Australian swimming champion Ian Thorpe gets brutally honest about his depression.
“When I was younger I couldn’t articulate it well. I just knew there was something not right, and just being constantly down and lethargic in what you’re doing,” the five time Olympic gold medalist told host Anh Do.
When asked if he ever spoke about his suicidal thoughts to his mum, Thorpe, 34, explained that he didn’t.
“You don’t want to really tell them. I know it doesn’t make sense, and I know they would have been there and they would have done everything that they could have. I know that,” he said.
Thorpe explained that when he did finally open up to his mum, she was “okay about it” and just wanted to help him.
“She was just sorry that I had to go through those times. And, you know, wanted to be able to do more, and I kind of said, ‘Well, no. I don’t want you to have to do more, this is something that I have to do’.
“But it’s also sort of knowing when to put your hand up and say, you know, ‘I’m not okay at the moment’,” he said.
Anh also touched on the swimmer’s sexuality, asking: “Are you happy you came out?”
“Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I wish I had earlier,” he responded. “You know I was accused of being gay when, I think I was 16 at the time,” Thorpe said.
“But because it was kind of like I was being accused of it, I’d always thought of it, as that being a bad thing.”
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