A moving confession from the Polish representative. “It’s not the least bit easy for me…”
Malwina Smarzek is one of the most talented Polish volleyball players of the last decade. The athlete confessed what she had to deal with in recent years.
The participant of the Olympic Games in Paris (2024) returned to coach Stefano Lavarini’s team after a break. Earlier, before the Italian coach took over the national team, Malwina Smarzek repeatedly carried the responsibility of scoring points for the team on her own back.
Malwina Smarzek with a moving confession. The volleyball player wrote about depression
At some point, however, something ended. Smarzek disappeared from the national team and went outside Poland, among others. to the Russian league. In the face of the outbreak of war in Ukraine, i.e. the aggression of the troops of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, the Polish performances in the colors of Lokomotiv Kaliningrad were not positively received in the country.
Smarzek returned to Poland for a while, playing in Rzeszów, but then left again, playing in Brazil and now in Italy.
On Thursday (December 26), the volleyball player decided to make a moving post on social media.
“Today marks 5 years since I first felt panic attacks creeping into my life. And how much they were ignored by those around me. I remember how much I felt misunderstood, ignored at times. For the last 3 years I have been struggling with depression, which was my shadow, accompanying me in the darkest moments. I felt alone, overwhelmed and powerless. Every day was a struggle, and the sport that once gave me joy became endless torture,” Smarzek wrote.
The volleyball player spoke in detail about what she faced and how important the support she received during that difficult period was.
“Reconciling depression with my passion, which was no longer a passion, usually going to the match cost me more strength than I had. I often had to force myself to workout, even when taking a shower or eating breakfast was a challenge. Fear of being judged, feeling of worthlessness and uncertainty were my companions on the pitch. Still, I knew I had to fight – if not for sport, then for myself. In my head, I have ended my career many times. Today, two years after my last suicidal thoughts, I would like to emphasize how important it is that mental health is treated with the same seriousness as physical health, especially in the world of sports. Each of us struggles with our own demons, and openness to conversation can save lives,” added the Polish representative.
It is definitely worth reading Smarzek’s entire post.
This shows, at least to a small extent, that professional athletes are also normal people. Before a judgment is made regarding the performance on the pitch or the decisions made off the pitch, it is worth taking a closer look at the individual characters. And certainly with greater understanding.
