Olympic athletes are our heroes. They represent hope, perseverance, tenacity, and overcoming obstacles to reach for the gold. They're the best of the best.
To be an Olympic competitor, they must have a strong body and an equally-robust mental state. Competition involves physical skill and mental sturdiness. It is difficult to succeed with one and without the other.
As a licensed mental health counselor, I was
heartened when Gold-medalist swimmer Michael Phelps disclosed his battle with mental health. His disclosure put a familiar and respected
face to it and showed that even the strongest body can struggle with what’s
going on up in one’s head. His
endorsement of a telemental health service seeks to normalize talking to a
professional. His experience is proof
that if mental health issues can happen to an Olympian, it can happen to
any one of us, and it can be addressed.
His honesty was instrumental in opening up that
conversation.
Michael’s struggle became public knowledge, however, after
he stopped competing. Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka found the strength to speak
their truth in the midst of the Olympiad.
They unapologetically put their mental health first and took actionable steps
to protect it. Without a solid mental
state, their performances would certainly have suffered, but more importantly,
they could have put themselves at risk for physical injury. Choosing self-care above all else is
courageous and, frankly, healthy.
I wish more of us would follow suit.
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| Simone Biles |
I’d wager that if we asked every Olympic competitor
in Tokyo about their mental health status (and did so with the guarantee that
their identities would remain secret), they would confirm that participating in
the games imposes immeasurable mental distress.
Maybe other athletes are feeling just like Simone and
Naomi but are afraid to speak up.
It’s an all-too-common fear that going public with one’s
compromised mental health status puts one at risk of being labeled as “crazy,” “unstable,”
or “fragile;” categorized as no longer good enough…or even unworthy of being an
Olympic athlete. Some cultures shun or
believe that mental illness isn’t real…including our culture in America.
Add to that fear the overarching expectation to
perform and be the world’s best. There’s
so much riding on that one race or performance: the countless years of training
to qualify to compete. The many
sacrifices athletes’ families endure to get their kids to the Games. The country the athletes represent wants them
to bring home more medals than any other so they can make the claim of being
first in the world. The athletes’ hope
for endorsement deals that could secure their financial futures. The physical toll on their bodies and the
ever-looming fear that one false step, stroke, or movement could end their
careers.
One can understand how it could be just too much for
one’s psyche to handle.
 |
| Naomi Osaka |
Mental health awareness is a systemic and cultural issue that is bigger than any one celebrity can take on to make meaningful change. But one way to make self-care a priority is to make it acceptable to talk about, and Simone, Naomi and Michael have made some in-roads to that end.
It’s crucial to our overall well-being to be mindful
about how we’re doing mentally, and let our loved ones know when we’re not
feeling well. We need to ask for help
when our typical coping strategies no longer work. We need to get at least 7 hours of sleep in
each 24-hour cycle, get regular exercise, and eat better. We need to take days off when our mental
health status makes it difficult to go to work. We need to have activities and
interests that make us feel good about ourselves. We need to have a therapist
or counselor as a member of our health care team.
We can all take a role in blurring the line between
physical and mental health because they are inextricably connected. Embracing and respecting the holistic view of
the mind-body connection will ultimately serve everyone better…including
athletes.
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