9 Current WWE stars you didn't know battled mental health issues
There’s still a surprising amount of stigma surrounding mental health as a topic of discussion. But thankfully more and more people are grasping the opportunity to speak about their problems and actively seek help.
While they may be portrayed as ‘super-human’ on the screen, even professional wrestlers are not immune to the issues that ill mental health brings. Given the demanding nature of the profession, both in and out of the ring, it’s no surprise that pro wrestlers (and athletes in general) struggle sometimes. In fact, it’s totally understandable.
Many of us wrestling fans idolize our favorite wrestlers. So, if too you’re struggling with your mental health, hopefully, you can find comfort in the fact that someone you look up to might be going through a similar situation.
Here are nine current WWE stars you didn’t know battled mental health issues:
#9 Rhea Ripley
The current NXT women’s champion is one of the most popular and impressive stars working in WWE today. Her unmissable strength, style, and athleticism make her stand out from the rest of the pack and has helped propel her to the top of the NXT women’s roster.
But what you may not know is that Rhea Ripley has struggled with mental health issues throughout her adolescence and into adulthood.
During her appearance on Lilian Garcia’s Chasing Glory podcast, Ripley went into details while talking about her history of self-harm and how, during her darkest moments, this was the only way she knew she was “still alive.”
But in a testament to the warrior spirit that brought her to the WWE, Rhea went on to discuss how negativity fuelled her to turn her life in another direction:
“I had an awful lot of people who picked on me. The one thing that really helped me… was wanting to prove everyone wrong. It’s one thing that's, like, my favourite thing to do.”
Ripley’s story is one that any young woman, or man, can find inspiration from. If she’s able to take down Charlotte Flair at Wrestlemania, it would be an incredible moment for her.
You can listen to the full episode of Chasing Glory here: