Articles
More than Surviving: Owning Your Mental Health
My name is Ryan “China” McCarney and this is the third or fourth iteration of my story I have shared with the ADAA over the last decade.
- 15 years ago I was suffering from panic attacks with no end in sight, no sign of help, and on the verge of suicide.
- 11 years ago I reached out for Therapy through ADAA and began my “recovery” journey.
- 9 years ago I founded my own Mental Health Foundation called Athletes Against Anxiety & Depression.
Origin Stories: China McCarney on Mental Health and Athlete Transitions
The athlete ecosystem is one of the most vibrant, inspiring, and soulful communities. It is also submerged in an expectation that these things can only be maintained by a standard of mental toughness that deeply embeds mental health stigma. At Timeout, we’re deconstructing this barrier by painting the full picture — bringing you the humans beneath athletes, coaches, care providers, and anyone else immersed in this world.
Changing the Future of Mental Health and Athletics
The mission is near and dear to McCarney’s heart. As a young baseball player, McCarney struggled to hide his anxiety from teammates, coaches, and scouts. After fighting against it for years, McCarney finally made the decision to embrace his anxiety and instead focus his energy on breaking down the stigma against mental health in athletics. Here is his story. I played all sports up through high school, but I focused on baseball.
Talking About Mental Health in Sports is a Reminder that Athletes Are More Than Just Top Physical Performers
Leeja Carter, associate professor of exercise psychology at Temple University and division head for the diversity and inclusion executive board of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and Ryan “China” McCarney, founder of the Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression Foundation, discuss the importance of supporting mental health among athletes.
The Toll of Holding a Job While Coping with Mental Health Issues
Leeja Carter, associate professor of exercise psychology at Temple University and division head for the diversity and inclusion executive board of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and Ryan “China” McCarney, founder of the Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression Foundation, discuss the importance of supporting mental health among athletes.
A New Prescription for Depression: Join a Team and Get Sweaty
Ryan “China” McCarney has played sports his entire life, but sometimes he has to force himself to show up on the field to play pick-up soccer with his friends. “I’m dreading and I’m anticipating the worst. But I do it anyway. And then, it’s a euphoric sensation when you’re done with it because you end up having a great time,” says McCarney. McCarney was just 22 when he had his first panic attack.
I Don’t Fight My Anxiety, Because it’s Part of Me
China McCarney was 22 when he was first diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. And in the eight years since, he’s worked tirelessly to erase the stigma surrounding mental illness and to connect people to the resources they need to fight it. He encourages people not to fight or ignore their conditions (as he had done), but to accept their conditions as part of who they are.
Mind Over Matter
Luckily for the sports world, there’s someone who has made it his life’s mission to help diminish the stigma around mental health disorders, by building community and being unashamed to tell his own story. That man is China McCarney, former professional baseball player, entrepreneur, writer and founder of Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression, a first of its kind, non-profit organization dedicated to providing athletes with the resources and community they need to overcome their battles with mental health disorders.
How Depression and Anxiety Go Hand-In-Hand
STRESSED, PANICKY AND worried or down, listless and pessimistic – they seem like dissimilar states of mind. But anxiety and depression are more closely related, and many people live with both conditions. Counseling, medication and DIY lifestyle approaches are treatment mainstays for anxiety and depression. The puzzle is putting these components together the right way for each patient. With medications, it’s essential to have the correct diagnosis and even then, it takes time to determine the optimal drugs and dosages.
I Embrace My Anxiety, Because it’s Part of Me
ADAA has partnered with Healthline.com to share China McCarney’s personal story of triumph “I Embrace My Anxiety, Because It’s Part of Me” with both of our communities. “The first time I had a panic attack was in 2009. I had experienced normal anxiety and nerves up until that point, but the panic attack was something I had never dealt with. I was going through a lot of stress with a transition in my baseball career.
Athletes Battle Mental Health Issues Too
Jonathan Meldrum, a former offensive lineman at Syracuse, struggled through his sophomore year in college. “I didn’t want to wake up, I didn’t want to get out of bed and I felt physically ill every single day.” After battling depression in high school, he took antidepressants, saw counselors and therapists and eventually managed his highs and lows with coping skills he had learned. Meldrum’s battle is not an isolated incident.
How Depression and Anxiety Go Hand-In-Hand
Managing both is a balancing act, but people can do so and thrive Stressed, panicky and worried or down, listless and pessimistic – they seem like dissimilar states of mind. But anxiety and depression are more closely related than you’d suspect, and many people live with both conditions. For China McCarney, 30, a former professional baseball player, anxiety has caused more obvious distress than depression.
Becoming the Change
When I last sat down to reflect on my journey with anxiety I was nervous, timid, and YES even a little ANXIOUS. I wanted to share my story with the “right” spin or the “right” perspective. I gave just enough details to get the point across and deflect the focus away from me and my “issues”. This is what came out. That was 5 or 6 months ago when I put those words down on paper. The mistake I made when first sharing my story was not emphasizing how much I battle to excel everyday.