On the podcast Marking Out with MVP & Dwayne Swayze, professional wrestler MVP discussed his recent TED Talk at Lone Star College, titled “Real Men Get Help,” where he detailed his personal struggles with mental health and the societal pressures that discourage men from seeking help.
MVP shared that for the last decade, he has been dealing with panic attacks, experiencing symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness, and profuse sweating. He explained that societal expectations for men to be strong protectors and providers often prevent them from showing vulnerability or weakness. “As men, we don’t want to ask for help,” he said. “We got to be strong, you know, man the f**k up”
A turning point for MVP came after a conversation with sports psychologist Chris Manzione, who explained that everyone has a “reservoir for trauma”. Manzione suggested that if trauma is not addressed, it will find a way out, and that MVP’s panic attacks were likely due to a lifetime of unaddressed trauma. MVP acknowledged a history of violence from his childhood through his teenage years and into adulthood, which he would often compartmentalize rather than deal with. Manzione told him, “You my friend had a Hoover Dam sized reservoir”.
MVP highlighted the particular stigma around mental health in black communities, where the prevailing attitude is often to “suck it up” instead of seeking help. He cited grim statistics, noting that men are four times more likely than women to commit suicide, with about 36,000 men taking their own lives annually. He also mentioned that around 12 veterans die by suicide each day.
By sharing his own vulnerabilities as an ex-convict, Jiu-Jitsu black belt, and professional wrestler, MVP hopes to inspire other “tough guys” to realize they are not alone and that it’s okay to ask for help. The response to his talk has been positive, with attendees sharing how his message resonated with their own experiences. One person approached him afterward and said, “Just to know that MVP deals with some of the stuff that I’m dealing with, it helped me out a lot”.
MVP confirmed that he is in therapy and, while it’s a long journey, he feels it is helping him. The process is allowing him to understand the effects of his past trauma and why he is the way he is, such as being emotionally cut off in relationships. “At the end of the day, we’re all human, man and and nobody’s impervious to pain,” he stated. His ultimate goal is to become a better person for himself and for those who care about him.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Marking Out with MVP & Dwayne Swayze with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
