Published: October 9, 2000
World-class diver Wendy Williams earned a World Cup and five National Championships in the 10-meter platform, a bronze medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, and was named the NCAA Women's Diver of the Year in 1989 while competing for the University of Miami.
Yet, at the pinnacle of her career, when she was considered a top contender for a gold medal in the women's platform diving competition at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, a spinal injury forced Williams to retire three months before the opening ceremonies. This event dramatically changed not only Williams' professional life, but her personal life as well.
Without the quest for the gold medal and the support of her coach and teammates, Williams was forced - for the first time - to fully acknowledge and deal with the feelings of sadness that had plagued her for approximately 15 years. However, she did not recognize that she was suffering from a condition that required medical attention. Her symptoms continued to impact her life for more than two years until she sought medical help at the urging of a friend.
Williams' physician identified her symptoms, diagnosed her with major depression. With a combination of Zoloft and psychotherapy, Williams' symptoms decreased within weeks and she began to once again have "naturally occurring positive thoughts." She also continued to exercise, which was an important part of her treatment regimen.
At first Williams was reluctant to take medication. "Like many athletes, I resisted taking any medication because I thought I was strong enough to beat the condition on my own. I realized I was wrong after I took Zoloft and began to feel like myself again."
Williams is the first in a group of athletes to participate as a spokesperson on behalf of the Pfizer and Women's Sports Foundation Minds in Motion Depression Awareness Campaign, an initiative to raise awareness that depression is a serious medical condition that can be effectively treated with medication and psychotherapy, and that some individuals can benefit from a comprehensive depression treatment regimen that also includes exercise. As a result of her own experience with this illness, Williams' goals are to help people who may have depression recognize its signs and symptoms and know it is a treatable medical condition, and to encourage them to seek professional help.
"Depression can happen to anyone," said Williams, "even athletes who train their whole lives to be physically and mentally strong. The trick is to know the true meaning of mental strength - that is, to know when you need help, to know that there are steps you can take that will lead to recovery and to take those steps."