Mental health in sport is widely discussed—until it becomes uncomfortable. We celebrate stories of struggle that resolve quickly, inspire neatly, and reassure us that recovery is simple if you just “do the work.” But athletes whose pain lingers, deepens, or refuses to follow a clean arc are often met with silence, discomfort, or quiet distance. In sport, support is frequently conditional: offered generously when suffering is palatable, and withdrawn when it becomes inconvenie...