MY STORY: NADIA POPOV

Langford, BC - Today is Bell Let’s Talk, a day to raise awareness and funds for mental health in Canada. As a rugby community, it is vital that we engage in this important conversation not only today, but every day.

Being involved in sport can contribute significantly to our mental wellbeing, but there are times when it can test our mental health as well. As a national team player living with mental illness, having the support of my rugby circle has been an important piece in my recovery. As a community that prides ourselves on unity and strength, we can mobilize our collective voice to support one another and ensure no one has to tackle mental illness alone.

It was a year ago that I was approached by the CBC to share my story of mental illness as a high performance athlete. At the time I came forward about my depression, I had traded in my Canadian 7’s jersey for textbooks to continue my education at Queen’s University. I was inspired by mental health heroes like Clara Hughes, whose story gave me hope that I could continue to pursue my athletic dreams. But a voice in the back of my head told me that being open about my struggles would impact my chances at earning selection to a national team again. Would teammates and coaches see me differently?

One year later, I’m happy to share that those fears were wrong, making me hopeful that we are well on our way to ending the stigma of mental health. Following a snowy USPORTs national championship in Lethbridge, AB, I received the call to suit up for the Senior Women’s 15’s team in the November series. While it would be cool to say that I valiantly defeated depression en route to earning my first 15’s cap, the truth is that my mental illness something that I deal with every day. And that’s okay. Just like any other injury or condition, I’ve learned how to manage my mental health challenges in a way that allows me to continue pursuing the best version of myself, both on and off the field.   

It isn’t always easy, but with the support of my teammates, coaches, family, and friends, I can continue to play the sport that I love and lead a successful, happy, rugby-filled life. Discovering how to manage my symptoms has been a learning process for me, but also for those who support me through the good and the bad days. Even though I am open about my mental health now, I spent years keeping my feelings to myself. It can be difficult to know where to start as either someone who has mental illness, or someone who wants to be there for their friends who may be struggling.

If my teammate is having an asthma attack, I know where to find her inhaler and who to call for help. Knowing how to support a teammate with mental illness is less straightforward. While most of us want to help, not many are sure how to do so because having conversations about mental health isn’t something we’re taught how to do, especially in sport. This is part of the reason why 2/3 people with mental illness continue to suffer alone in silence. As a rugby community, and the wider community of sport, we have the power to change that through honest conversations with ourselves and each other.

The most important step we can collectively take is creating environments where it’s okay to be vulnerable and admit when we are struggling. Rugby is a game of strength and determination, but it’s important to recognize that having a bad mental health day doesn’t make you any less strong or determined. It happens to all of us. Being open about these experiences can prevent bad mental health days from turning into bad mental health weeks, months, or even more serious mental health challenges.

And at the end of the day, we all perform better, and more importantly have more fun, when we take care of our overall wellbeing outside of sport.

Whether you are a player, coach, support staff, or fan, we all have a role to play in continuing the conversation around mental health in our rugby communities. What I love most about rugby is the unique bond that unites us no matter who we are or where we come from. With the right skills and education, we can improve our capacity to help those among us who experience mental illness.  

So take part in the amazing conversations occurring all over Canada today! If you want to learn more about how you can make a difference, check out Bell Let’s Talk’s website for information about the 5 things you can do to fight the stigma. If you are struggling with your own mental health, know that you are not alone, and there is help out there. Mental illness is tough, but together we are tougher.