Votto missed several games in May and June because he was suffering and dealing with anxiety and depression associated with the death of his father in August 2008. But it wasn’t until Votto returned to the team on June 23 that he revealed the reason he had been placed on the disabled list by the team.
Until that press conference, Votto’s malady was a mystery. Earlier in the season, he suffered a bout of the flu and then was diagnosed with an inner-ear infection that was reportedly causing dizziness. But after he had to be helped off the field during a mid-May game in Arizona by manager Dusty Baker, it was becoming clear to observers that his illness was more than an ear infection. Speculation abounded for weeks.
Votto put the speculation to rest last month by acknowledging the severe anxiety attacks and depression with which he had been struggling. Anyone who has suffered the death of a parent — Votto’s father was 52 when he died suddenly — can sympathize with the sorrow and grief that Votto — who is only 25 years old and not yet in his prime as a major leaguer — was experiencing. He told reporters that he had failed to deal with his grief and suppressed it as long as he could.
We expect our sports heroes to be supermen, larger than life and not susceptible to the same ailments and limitations that most of us experience at some point in our lives. Votto’s admission of his mental health issues may have been unsettling for some fans who still want their heroes to be strong and silent, but it was an affirmation for many others who have experienced similar problems, either directly or with close family members. Votto acknowledged that finally sharing his condition with the public was a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders.
Votto is not alone in dealing with these issues. Millions of Americans are dealing with depression and anxiety issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making the conditions “two major causes of illness and death in the United States.” And other athletes — including Khalil Greene of the St. Louis Cardinals — have taken time off the field this season because of mental-health issues. Sufferers should not hesitate to seek treatment from doctors, as Votto has.
We admire Votto for his courage in openly discussing his medical problems and wish him the best in dealing with them throughout his life. He’s done his fellow sufferers a great service by discussing his anxiety and depression publicly, just as he would a leg sprain or any other physical injury. Although we’ve made progress in changing attitudes, society still tends to stigmatize mental illness, instead of treating it like any other medical condition.
The Reds still hope to be contenders in the second half of this season, but — win or lose — this may always be remembered as the season that a young, strapping baseball player taught us all a lesson about the fragility of life and the ability to overcome personal setbacks.