NBL1 x Mental Health Month: Carlie Smith’s journey

When USC Rip City MVP Carlie Smith was first diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety, she was in denial. 

As a 16-year-old who just loved to play basketball, her diagnosis turned her life “upside-down”. 

In retrospect though, Smith says it was one of the “best things” she went through.

“I have been able to turn the corner and I think the silver lining is, I have found myself and I have found my confidence and my self-worth,” the 27-year-old says. 

“The best thing I learned was that it's okay to be vulnerable with your emotions. 

“It's a way of your mind and your body trying to tell you something and I learned a lot about myself in that moment.” 

Not only has Smith gone through mental health battles herself but she has also supported her husband and fellow USC star Eric McAlister during his own struggles. 

After losing his mother, McAlister began to struggle with his emotions, his health and the uncertainty in his life. 

While it was hard to watch him go through that, Smith says she’s grateful that she could play in part in helping him recover. 

“It's really nice to be able to support him and see his journey and see how far he's come,” she says. 

“He has absolutely turned the corner with it.” 

In a global pandemic, support is more important than ever. 

However, when it comes to approaching someone who may be struggling, getting a conversation started can be difficult. 

Smith says a fundamental step to doing this is to make the person “feel heard”.

“If you do see someone struggling, I guess the best way to approach it is to be non-judgmental and just accept what they're feeling at the moment is okay,” she says.

“Just create a really soft, safe environment… and reassure the person that there is a lot of help out there. 

“There's a lot of great professionals that are outstanding in this work.” 

When Smith was struggling with her mental health, she visited Headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25-year-olds. 

While at Headspace, she learned a lot of techniques to help her deal with her mental health. 

Now, she wants to inspire others who may be going through a bit of a rough time to speak up. 

“Whether you're struggling with mental health or everyday life, I think it's really important to have supportive people around you,” Smith says. 

“I think it's a really special thing if you can feel vulnerable with someone and open up without judgement and in a safe place.”

During the global pandemic, Smith admits it has been difficult to keep motivated. 

She hasn’t seen her Mum for about a year while McAlister hasn’t been back home to the United States in nearly three years. 

Despite all the challenges, Smith says she has been able to keep motivated by doing things like walking, going to the gym, cooking or doing some art alongside McAlister.

“We're very fortunate to have each other and we do help push each other and motivate each other,” Smith says.

“We have some really amazing supportive people here in Australia so it's been great. 

“I think everyone can agree that the last two years have just been wild. 

“I hope everyone's mental health is okay and I hope that we can create a positive environment for people to speak up.” 

If this article has brought up anything for you or someone you know, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24/7 support or visit lifeline.org.au.