Formula One racing star Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he has struggled with depression since he was a teenager, attributing his mental health challenges to the pressures of motor racing and bullying he endured at school at a very tender age.
In a candid interview with the “Sunday Times,” the seven-time world champion, now 39, admitted that his mental health battles began as early as age 13 and persisted all through his 20s, making it a very difficult journey into adulthood.
“When I was in my twenties, I had some really difficult phases,” Hamilton shared.
“I’ve struggled with mental health throughout my life.
From a very early age, when I was, like, 13.
I think it was the pressure of racing and struggling at school. The bullying. I had no one to talk to,” he stated in pain.
In spite of his difficult past, Hamilton emphasized that he is now in a “good place, physically and mentally” and continues to motivate others to persevere because this is a phase that will definitely pass.
Reflecting on his journey, he stated,
“There will be a time and a place for [family], and I can’t wait for that part.
But right now I have some work to do.”
The racing icon’s resilience and honesty serve as a powerful reminder that even the most successful individuals face challenges, but through persistence, they can overcome them and hit their determined place of destination.