What’s New in Psychology?
Olympic Athletes Often Need Mental Health Support
Jim Windell
The Paris Olympics are taking place as this blog is being written. The extraordinary athlete Simone Biles, who dropped out of the 2020 Olympics in Japan to deal with mental health issues, is back. And she seems to be as good as ever as she is racking up more medals while she is being hailed by many as America’s greatest ever gymnast.
What seems most impressive is not that Ms. Biles can soar 12 feet in the air when she does her floor routines or completes a vault, but that mental health problems of Olympic athletes are being openly discussed. Commentators noted that Simone Biles checked in with her therapist before competing in these Olympic games. And other athletes are candid about seeking professional help for anxiety, depression and other issues.
So, while we watch in amazement as these young athletes push their bodies to achieve remarkable feats, we often forget that men and women are human beings who are subject to the same feelings and mental health issues as the rest of us.
According to Dana Voelker, associate professor of sport, exercise and performance psychology, at the West Virginia College of Applied Human Sciences, balancing mental health with physical training is now at the forefront for athletes as they prepare for global competition. She adds that competing in the Olympics is stressful for athletes and because of that many have prioritized their mental well-being.
“Mental health has become increasingly central to athletes’ preparation for the Olympics and their wellness afterward,” says Dr. Voelker. “Athletes’ public sharing of their experiences, and how they have addressed mental health concerns through recovery and support, has been an important impetus. Simone Biles previously halted her Olympic participation to prevent what she knew would be a dangerous outcome had she not given herself grace and acknowledged she needed space to reset and recover mentally. Naomi Osaka and Michael Phelps are other examples of high-profile athletes who publicly advocated for mental wellness within and beyond sport.”
“Having stars that come out and talk about mental health challenges that they've faced throughout their careers helps other athletes of all levels, and frankly, all different sports understand that this isn't something that's unique to them,” says Dr. Jonathan Finoff, Chief Medical Officer of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. “It happens across the board. And it's OK to seek help.”
Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps was candid about disclosing his struggles with depression following the Olympic Games in London in 2012. So was skier Lindsey Vonn, who revealed her decade-long battle with depression. As a result, an increasing number of athletes are speaking out about their often-hidden struggles with mental health problems.
Scientific research currently suggests that mental health disorders affect up to 35 per cent of elite athletes at some stage of their careers. This can range from burnout and substance abuse to eating disorders, depression and anxiety. The triggers can be highly varied, with studies pointing to a range of contributing factors from poor sleep to selection pressures and premature retirement due to injury. In the case of Phelps and many others, it was the post-Olympic slump that prompted a downward spiral leading to suicidal thoughts.
“While there isn’t any evidence to suggest that mental illness is more prevalent in elite athletes than the general population, it’s important to approach these problems in athletes, bearing in mind the special situation they’re in, and the big life stresses they face,” says International Olympic Committee Medical and Scientific Director Dr Richard Budgett.
Recognizing this, the IOC has sought to initiate a number of projects that increase our understanding of athlete mental health, and to develop ways to help athletes and their entourages detect and handle mental health concerns.
But to properly come to grips with mental health in elite sport, there is also a need to continue raising awareness and reduce the stigma that still surrounds the subject. Dr Budgett says that the efforts of globally recognized and successful athletes, such as Phelps and Biles, in speaking out about their own personal struggles have already had a major positive impact.
“I think that athletes speaking candidly about issues which have been difficult for others to talk about can be very helpful, especially if they’re famous, elite athletes. It’s been really helpful in this case in raising the awareness, so that people realize just how important it is.”
In Japan in 2020, there were 18 clinical psychologists and mental performance professionals on the ground at the Olympics to support the athletes. The goal then, according to Dr. Finoff, was to “remove the mental health stigma in the world of sport."
But in Paris 2024, for the first time in the history of the Games, a mental health zone was set up for the athletes participating in the Olympics. This is known as the Athlete365 Mind Zone. So, in addition to working tirelessly on the physicality that their sport demands, there’s a separate space for the mind too.
Athlete 365 Mind Zone is staffed with individuals trained to cater to the mental health needs of the athletes – which could range from psychological concerns to practicing mindfulness.
“At this year’s Olympics, there are more supports in place for athletes than there have been before now, including trained sport psychologists and other support personnel who travel. The question is: are there enough to meet every need? And, while mental health stigma has lessened in many sport spaces, it isn’t gone. Many athletes are still discouraged from seeking these types of supports,” explains Dr. Voelker.
“The Olympic Games are rife with opportunity and excitement as well as pressure and stress,” she says. “Considerable travel and competing in a new place can be unnerving, particularly on the world’s biggest stage. Just like physical training, the appropriate mental training and psychological work is vital to optimal performance.
“Still, no strategy is foolproof. The Olympic environment can affect athletes in ways they did not anticipate, or even felt they could wholly control, and for reasons that are not fully understood. At the core of it all, athletes, like all of us, are human, too.”
Author note: This blog was based on several articles and news reports, including Voelker on mental and physical preparation for Olympic athletesfrom CAHS Enews at https://media.appliedhumansciences.wvu.edu/stories/2024/07/30/voelker-on-mental-and-physical-preparation-for-olympic-athletes
