Lindsey Vonn Talks About Mental Health Struggles

Lindsey VonnHer personal mental health journey has inspired her to continue speaking out about the nation’s mental health crisis.

The Olympic gold medalist, who first went public with her decades-long battle with depression to PEOPLE in 2012, is candid about normalizing conversations about mental health, specifically among athletes.

Vonn, 37, is one of several stars set to appear on Deadline: Special Reporta new limited series featuring interviews and reporting on America’s mental health emergency, alongside MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace.

On the show, the world champion skier revealed why she was originally hesitant to seek professional help for her depression.

“I really just went to the doctor because a friend of mine had been diagnosed with depression and had very similar symptoms. I came in like, ‘I’m going to finish this so I can confirm that I’m okay. Everything’s fine. Nothing’s wrong with me,'” Vonn told Wallace.

“And I was diagnosed with depression and put on medication and I was still resisting therapy because I still thought there was nothing wrong with me. And there it is nothing wrong with me, nothing wrong with me!” he said.

“There is such great stigma around it, especially in sports“added the athlete. “It is considered that you cannot be a strong athlete if you are depressed. You can’t be strong and have weakness.”

Vonn, the most decorated female skier of all time, praised other athletes who have helped normalize conversations about mental health, including noemi osaka, simone bileY kevin love.

She also admitted that she can stay positive about her mental health issues by remembering her late mother, Lindy Anne Lund, who died in august after a year-long battle with ALS.

“When she was diagnosed with ALS, she was obviously very sad, it’s terminal. She cried and the next day she said, ‘Today is another great day,'” Vonn explained. “And every day since then he said, ‘Today is going to be a great day.’ ”

“She was dying and she was positive,” he continued. “When you think about your own struggles, I ask myself: how could I not be positive? How could I see the positive side of everything like my mother did? Because if she can see it, then I certainly can.”

In addition to Vonn, the limited series also features conversations about mental health with Taraji P. Henson, pink perezand more.

Deadline: Special Report is airing now on MSNBC Hub in Peacock.