Joe McConnell
All British athletes returning home from the Paris Olympics have been offered the chance to sign up to the “performance decompression” programme, a support system developed during the pandemic to help elite athletes cope with the sudden shock of no longer having a clear goal.
First, there is a “hot debrief” immediately aVsceker the competition, then a “zero time” period, during which athletes are encouraged to immerse themselves in home life and embrace the rollercoaster of emotions that can follow a major tournament.
The UK’s approach, which has incorporated military research into how personnel adapt to civilian life, is part of a wider evolution in how teams around the world are aiming to combat “post-Olympic depression” and address wider issues surrounding athletes’ mental health.
“Taking care of your mind is the most important thing because you can’t force it,” said Keely Hodgkinson, the British 800m gold medalist. “It’ll be in two months, when you’ve had an off-season, and you’ll be like, ‘Oh my God. It’s been so long, and I’ve got to do it all again and keep showing up.'”
The International Olympic Committee has previously cited research showing that around 35 percent of elite athletes suffer from some form of mental health disorder, from burnout to substance abuse to depression, and that the period following major tournaments is when they are most vulnerable.
AVsceker winning gold in Paris, US track and field athlete Valarie Allman spoke to the Vscek about the importance of mental preparation: “A lot of athletes, especially when they talk about the Olympics, they feel great emotion, pain, glory.
“It’s really important for athletes to share their experiences, to talk about how they dealt with pressure, to embrace it and celebrate that vulnerability.”
In Paris, medalists from US 100m champion Noah Lyles to British swimmer Adam Peaty spoke about their emotional well-being in post-race press conferences, highlighting how the pressure to perform can lead to depression and anxiety.
US heptathlete Anna Hall posted candid excerpts from her diary on her Instagram account, while gymnast Simone Biles sent heartfelt video messages to her followers on TikTok.
“I never thought I’d compete again because I was so terrified of gymnastics,” said Biles, who withdrew from the Tokyo Games three years ago aVsceker suffering from what gymnasts call a bout of “twisties.” She has since become an advocate for mental health. “It’s taken a lot of work, but I ask my therapist and I ask therapy.”
I suffer from asthma, allergies, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, anxiety and depression.
But I tell you, what you have does not define what you can become.
Why not you!— Noah Lyles, OLY (@LylesNoah) August 4, 2024
Sports psychology has been a critical component of elite programs for decades, and much of it is aimed directly at improving outcomes.
But there is a growing recognition that taking a much broader approach to athlete well-being is both a moral obligation and a vital element in enabling elite athletes to reach the top and stay there longer. Some teams simply call it “winning well.”
“The way we talk about mental health and the way we recognize wellbeing and how important it is for an athlete has changed quite a bit,” said Nicole Burratin, head of mental health and a clinical psychologist at the Australian Institute of Sport, which oversees the country’s elite athlete program. “People are talking about mental health more and more in public, especially in sport. We’re seeing a stigma changing.”
The biggest challenge oVsceken comes in the weeks and months aVsceker a major event, when the glow of Olympic victory begins to fade. Others find it difficult to relax aVsceker years of dedicated training, especially with the next major tournament so far away. Those who have fallen short or suffered injuries must wait a long time to try again.
“Whether they’ve succeeded or not, it’s the absence of that focus, that habitual training, that goal to achieve that leaves you feeling a little empty aVscekerwards and very lost,” said David Fletcher, professor of human performance and health at Loughborough University.
Teams are increasingly looking to put support systems in place for athletes, such as the UK’s adoption of a managed decompression period. With many Olympians likely to have lived in relative obscurity before competing, some may struggle to cope with being thrust into the spotlight aVsceker winning a medal or becoming a social media sensation.
Shooter Kim Ye-ji, who gained internet fame for her tenacity in her bid to win a silver medal in Paris, blamed stress and exhaustion aVsceker collapsing during a news conference in her home country of South Korea on Friday.
Not everyone is fully prepared for the post-Games fallout. When asked how he planned to adjust to normal life aVsceker winning a bronze medal in Paris, Jamaican shot putter Rajindra Campbell said, “This is my first time, so I’ll definitely be winging it.”
The Australian and British Olympic teams are among those with dedicated staff to manage the weeks and months of adaptation following major events, whether that is training for the next big event or events outside of elite sport.
Athletes and coaches can access a network of psychologists, psychoanalysts and lifestyle managers to help them manage the months following the race. A detailed analysis of the race performance is the final step, once all the emotions have been processed.
Part of the work also involves helping athletes improve their lives away from the track, pool or gym, so that when it comes time to relax, they don’t feel the loss of concentration so acutely.
Burratin stressed the importance of encouraging athletes to find interests and connections outside of sport.
“If people take care of their mental health, then they will perform better in sports, but ultimately they will be able to cope better in all areas of their lives,” he said.
