Sebastian Vettel, a four-time Formula One champion, said in Zandvoort that it is a “weakness” of society to prohibit athletes from discussing mental health difficulties.
Vettel, who announced his retirement from Formula One at the end of the year in late July, acknowledged to seeking psychiatric treatment and said that the sport had double standards when it comes to mental health concerns.
“I have no difficulty discussing that,” Vettel told the German newspaper Bild.
“If you break a leg, you see a physician. It would be prudent to determine what stops me from first breaking my leg.
However, we do not seem to be taking the same approach to mental health. This is a shortcoming of our culture since (mental health disorders) are often seen as such.
Vettel, 35, will compete in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on Sunday. From 2010 to 2013, he won four consecutive championships with Red Bull.
The German said that drivers would discuss mental health difficulties with one another, but were unwilling to do so in public.
“It is acceptable to have self-doubt. In an interview released on Friday, Vettel stated, “I hear so many tales from people who have had similar circumstances.”
“Sometimes, something similar is lacking in sport. Excellently, we have a cult of heroism in specific jobs.
“However, we are all human and experience the same things and difficulties.
“Superman and Superwoman only exist on television.”
Vettel now races for Aston Martin after spending six years with Ferrari. He has 53 career victories.
He is tied with Alain Prost as the fourth most successful F1 driver in history, after Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Juan Manuel Fangio (each with seven victories) (five).
AFP