Two athletes have received attention lately for their struggles with anxiety disorders: NBA rookie Royce White of the Houston Rockets, and baseball free agent Zack Greinke. White’s generalized anxiety disorder manifests in his fear of flying, a hindrance in a profession that requires extensive travel. Last month, White missed training camp in Texas, apparently because of his fear of flying. White is open about his anxiety, and credits the Rockets with offering him support. “They’re being very open to helping me in any way that I need and giving me the support I need,” he told CNN. Greinke, considered the best free-agent pitcher, struggles with social anxiety, a fact revealed after he left the Kansas City Royals “for personal reasons.” Greinke told reporters that he considered leaving baseball because of his anxiety, but treatment and medication have helped him.
Anxiety is the topic of this year’s Elephant in the Room Contest, which asks readers to tell us how anxiety has affected them, their families or the Jewish people in general. The contest, a partnership with the Andrew Kukes Foundation for Social Anxiety, is accepting entries through December 7; three winners will each receive an iPad and will see their work published in Moment. To submit an entry, visit the contest page here.
(Image of Zack Greinke courtesy of Shutterstock)