Hours after winning the 100-metre gold medal in Paris, and staking his claim to the title “Fastest Man Alive,” American sprinter Noah Lyles tweeted this:
“I have asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression. But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You!”
What an incredible message: we can be more than the things that have slowed us down. About four years ago, Lyle made a decision to change his life. His tweet from Aug. 2, 2020:
“Recently I decided to get on antidepressant medication. That was one of the best decisions I have made in a while. Since then, I have been able to think without the dark undertone in mind of nothing matters. Thank you God for mental health.”
It shows how far we have come on mental health stigma when champions like Noah Lyles and Simone Biles can talk about these issues.
Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 100 companies and more than 10,000 construction professionals better understand mental health. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.
