You're a multi-sport athlete and you've sprained your knee. You've injured yourself so many times that you wonder if there's something wrong with you. You do so many things to prevent yourself from having a sprained knee or a torn achilles or a hip fracture or an arm dislocation: you stretch, you do your warm ups, and you have trainers to help you along the way yet it just. keeps. happening. That can't be. Since it's inevitable anyways, what's the point of going to get it healed? You've racked up enough medical bills and, as you know, you're a great athlete. You should be able to get through it, right? So you fight through the pain and continue to play sports despite the fact that your physical health is deteriorating. You'll get better, It's happened before and it'll happen again so all you can do is wait for the next bout of it, even after you've gotten better. If you've gotten better.
Obviously, this would never happen. Physical health is important to maintain, especially for an athlete. You'd do what you can as soon as possible to get better and to perform your best. To play your best games and fight your best matches. Let's move on to a similar situation.
You're human and you've had an anxiety attack. You've had so many that you wonder if there's something wrong with you. You have great friends, a great family... you have nothing to be depressed about, yet it just. keeps. happening. This can't be. Everyone gets sad, right? Since it's inevitable anyways, what's the point of making a big deal about it? Being sad isn't worth the medical bills, You know you have a great life. You should be able to get through it, right? So you fight through the pain and continue to go through life despite the fact that some anxiety attacks and bouts of depression are way more intense than others. It'll get better. It's happened before and it'll happen again so all you can do is wait for the next bout of it, even after it's gotten better. If it's gotten better.
Health doesn't just encompass injuries and illnesses. It's called mental health for a reason; physical and mental health go hand in hand. One isn't more or less important than the other. You wouldn't be in denial of an injury and continue to do physical activities. Don't let yourself go through that pain. Get checked up and see if you need treatment. There's nothing wrong with being a little more prone to "injuries" than others are. It doesn't make you weak or stupid, it doesn't mean that you aren't good enough, and it sure as hell doesn't define you.
You're a multi-sport athlete and you've sprained your knee. Stubbornly, you reject going to the hospital; you can just walk it off. Three pain-filled practices later, you finally accept that you need to go to the hospital. After weeks of seeing the doctor, you can't believe the way you're able to move now. You never knew this life was even real. You're surprised at the power in your punch, the speed of your legs, and the new heights of your jumps. You were this strong the whole time; now, you're just seeing it more clearly.
Take care of yourself.