I have a hard time deciding how to feel about Naomi Osaka withdrawing from the French Open because of her depression. As someone who suffers from this illness, I genuinely don’t know where and how it should fit on the disability spectrum.
First, let me articulate the cynical point of view (A view point I definitely have some sympathy with).
Ms. Osaka is currently the highest paid female athlete in the world. She gets this sort of money because, unlike say badminton, people like to watch and follow professional tennis. Players that see their only responsibility as performing on the court are missing a big piece of why they are paid what they are paid.
While everyone has a right to protect their mental health, High achievers must balance this with the role in society they have committed too. Ms. Osaka may not like it but being asked about her weakness on clay is a question of genuine journalistic interest that is at the heart of her public profile. Abdicating responsibility because she feels “triggered’ is not an option.
She has chosen to be a media personality and that means she must take the good with the bad.
French and international media expected to be able to question her and they had editors demanding that content. It is unfair to the organizers of the tournament to have her participate then run out of a key part of the commitment.
With all that being said, let me give a more sympathetic analysis.
There are two big myths I have found with depression, both of which are applicable to this situation. The first one is that depression is driven by external events and privileged people do not deserve sympathy. The second is that depression is just a bad mood that one can snap out from.
Depression need not be caused by a negative event and even the most privileged are afflicted by this disease. Psychic pain in proposition to suffering in the form of loss or grief lives naturally on the spectrum of human emotion. Depression is mental anguish out of proportion to life’s experiences.
It may be hard for you to feel sorry for Naomi Osaka, but you should. I can’t imagine she wants to cause trouble and shirk responsibility, she has gotten as far as she has precisely because of her personal dedication to the sport. She may be rich and famous, but that brings its own well documented stressors. For a mind predisposed to depression this weight must be taxing.
To understand this, you must consider the second misconception that depression is just a bad mood.
Depression and its effects exist on a scale. Some people feel a bit blue and down constantly, others go through periods of excruciating mental and physical anguish. There are no physical external signs, so it’s easy to be dismissed by others.
Imagine trying to describe motion sickness to someone who has never experienced it. These feelings can very quickly overtake you entirely and make it almost impossible to function.
We will never know the details of Ms. Osaka’s depression so in some sense we will always have to take her word for her suffering, but the same can be said of any illness. If she had canceled because of a cold, no one would be speculating about the severity of the cold or if it was real or not. The French organizers would not have fined her fifteen thousand dollars for a stomach bug.
Where These two Narratives Meet
Sympathizing with both arguments, coming to a conclusion is challenging. However much you want to compare depression to illness like the Flu, the analogy just doesn’t hold. Depression lives at the nexus of the body and the mind and personal agency in the condition is hard to determine.
Ms. Osaka is clearly in pain, but she still has responsibilities connected to the amount of money she has accepted. By not doing media appearances, she is hurting a system that has done a lot to promote her.
That doesn’t mean we should not take her mental health seriously. Let’s not forget how young and new to all of this she is. I think she is being especially mature and brave for talking about a subject so many people sweep under the rug.
I feel like this could have been handled better by all involved. The tournament organizers could have found a digital work around for the press conference. Ms. Osaka could have communicated her issues more clearly before they created a crisis. Also, the media could have shown more understanding for her condition while still demanding their rightful access to players.
What Does it All Mean for Everyone Else
Millions of people around the world navigate these issues without the help (or burden) of fame and wealth. They struggle to function with great pain that is misunderstood by society.
The working mother who is feeling depressed cannot decide to cancel taking her kids to school and not go to an early meeting.
The policeman who is depressed cannot ask for shorter rounds on the street.
The student who is suffering cannot demand better grades because of this affliction.
A bit of creativity and compassion can go a long way towards helping people cope with this illness. Helping people meet their responsibilities is not only good for society but helps sufferers recover. I feel there are better ways to deal with depression as a society.