Kate Nye, a Team USA weightlifter and the current -71kg American record holder in the snatch, clean & jerk, and total, announced on Instagram this week that she has been diagnosed with bipolar II disorder and “mild” attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Nye has had a dominant year for Team USA, being crowned both Pan American Champion and Junior World Champion. As she prepares for the 2019 IWF World Weightlifting Championships in September, she turned to Instagram to talk about how this will be the most challenging training period for her yet.
She wrote,
Today I begin a new (and the most challenging) training block that will prepare me for senior worlds. Today I also begin a road to recovery that I have been putting off for quite some time.
I’ve been dealing with mental health issues for a while now and I finally decided to see a therapist for what I thought was the basic depression/anxiety issues that are plaguing our generation. After a few appointments and some rigorous testing, to my surprise I have been diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder and mild ADHD. It kinda makes sense now but I wasn’t really prepared to deal with this-but I know I need to for my mental health.
I was too proud to get help for far too long. I felt weak for thinking I needed help, but honestly it has taken a weight off my shoulders knowing what I have to do to feel like a functioning human being. I’m excited for the future of having a healthy mind and body. With that being said, I would love to hear from any strength athletes that may be medicated for their bipolar disorder-as I want to make sure I make educated decisions for both my health and my lifting career. I know this is just the beginning and I’m so hopeful for what’s to come.
Nye isn’t the first, and will certainly not be the last athlete to suffer from mental health issues, however her openness for discussing these tough topics are showing just how strong she is. She has been actively responding to comments on her post, and the CEO of USA Weightlifting Phil Andrews responded to Nye on Instagram.
“The final two paragraphs probably are things to be prouder of than anything so far on the platform. Remember the Athlete Wellness Program supports exactly this,” Andrews wrote in Nye’s Instagram comments. Nye thanked Andrews for his words.
Andrews is just one of many who have engaged in Nye’s post, and if her openness has shown anything it’s just how strong the strength community is (without any weights on a platform.)
Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. If you’re dealing with or exhibiting signs of depression, please seek the advice of a medical professional immediately.
Featured image from @katherineenye Instagram page.
