Ultramarathon Swimmer Talks Mental Health At Beverly YMCA

BEVERLY, MA — A record-holding ultramarathon spoke about his battle with addiction and mental health during a recent evening with the Greater Beverly YMCA's competitive Sharks swim team and Phoenix United gymnastics team, as well as the athletes' families.

Ben Tuff screened his documentary "Swim Tuff: How I Swam My Way Out of the Bottle" and spoke about the importance of mental wellness within the athletic community.

He focused on his personal story of recovery, perseverance, the importance of family and support, and the positive impact of physical activity on individual mental wellness.

The documentary centers on his 25-mile swim from Providence to Jamestown, RI, as well as his decade-long journey of sobriety.

Tuff grew up splitting his time between Atlanta and Jamestown, Rhode Island. He attended Colby College in Maine and works as an educator.

"This event with Ben is one of the many ways the Y is continuing its commitment to reduce stigma around mental health, build awareness of the importance of mental wellness, and emphasize the interdependence of physical health and mental health," said Ranjeev Benjamin, the Y's Executive Director of Mental Wellness.

The YMCA of the North Shore offers mental wellness programs, training and services across 25 communities north of Boston.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)