Mental health after the Olympics: why so many athletes struggle to adapt to normal life after big competitions

Mental Health After the Olympics: Why So Many Athletes Struggle to Adapt to Normal Life After Big Competitions

The Dark Side of Success

"The Olympic Games are a culmination of dedication, hard work, and sacrifice. Every athlete constructs their self-image through experiences, values, and perceptions related to the intensity of their training and the level of their achievements," shares an anonymous sportsperson. For many athletes, the 2024 Olympic Games have just come to a close, leaving them to face a harsh reality – the struggle to adapt to normal life.

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According to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) 2023 mental health action plan, 33.6% of elite athletes suffer from anxiety and depression. A staggering 26.4% of them experience severe mental health problems after retirement. The value they attach to their expectations, efforts, and suffering significantly influences their behavior, motivation, memories, and well-being.

Mental Dedication: A Full-Time Job

Athletes identify strongly with their work and goals, dedicating immense effort to training. As a result, they often overlook or justify the downsides, such as detachment from loved ones, difficulty maintaining a social life, and constant pressure to perform at the highest levels. When the competitions end, or when athletes retire, they feel lost, as their day-to-day mental functioning is no longer governed or guided by immediate, ambitious challenges.

The Unseen Consequences of Success

For instance, American athlete Tori Bowie, a triple Olympic medallist at Rio 2016, suffered from mental health problems during her transition to life off the track and died from complications in childbirth at 32. Another tragic example is Jesús Rollán, a double Olympic water polo champion who died following his retirement, reportedly due to suicide.

Achievement Trap: The Hidden Struggle

As soon as the competition ends, athletes often refer to what’s coming next, giving a little bit more, or what they could have done better. It seems that their achievements and everything it took to get there do not deserve even the slightest recognition. A psychological crash, therefore, awaits them the moment they stop doing what has made them valuable. Many experience a significant reduction in well-being, mood swings, and feelings of emptiness, posing more challenging hurdles than the struggle for medals.

Mental Health: Harder than the Fight for Medals

When the sports professional stops, their routine, outlook, and surroundings completely change, and the immediate goal that motivated their performance disappears. Moreover, media attention or recognition that often gives meaning to their suffering evaporates. This is the achievement trap, which is only within the reach of a chosen few. If not faced with a clear head, it can wear the athlete down and create a single-minded dependence on the expected or awaited reward.

A Time to Rediscover Themselves

This moment is an extraordinary life change that presents an opportunity for the athlete to grow and discover a better version of themselves. Despite the personal and emotional discomfort that comes after a competition, the process of change (and it is an extraordinary life change) is a great opportunity for the athlete to recover from the vulnerability generated by a completely blinkered focus on their goals.

Conclusion

For many athletes, retirement means facing a harsh reality – the struggle to adapt to normal life. The value they attach to their expectations, efforts, and suffering significantly influences their behavior, motivation, memories, and well-being. It is essential to acknowledge that success comes with a price and that athletes are not immune to the struggles that come with it.

FAQs

• What percentage of elite athletes suffer from anxiety and depression?
  • 33.6%
• What percentage of elite athletes experience severe mental health problems after retirement?
  • 26.4%
• What is the achievement trap?
  • The achievement trap refers to the phenomenon where athletes struggle to find meaning beyond the realms of competition, leading to a psychological crash, and a single-minded dependence on the expected or awaited reward.
• Can athletes recover from the vulnerability generated by a completely blinkered focus on their goals?
  • Yes, the process of change, and it is an extraordinary life change, is a great opportunity for the athlete to grow and discover a better version of themselves.
• What is the importance of acknowledging that success comes with a price?
  • It is essential to acknowledge that success comes with a price, not only for athletes but also for individuals in general, to recognize the importance of mental health and well-being, and to provide support and resources for those who need it.