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As the Olympics approach, one topic always makes headlines: Olympian mental health. These athletes are under immense pressure. They’ve often worked their whole lives for these moments, know they’re representing their country and have one shot to prove themselves.
This pressure can put a strain on an athlete’s mental health. According to the University of Oxford, depression and anxiety can impact up to 45% of the members of an elite sports team.
However, many professional athletes know about these dangers and take steps to prioritize their mental health. Let’s examine five examples of mental health lessons from Olympians that anyone can — and should — apply to their daily lives.
1. Enjoy the Moment
Professional athletes dedicate much of their lives to their sport. They often pass up opportunities to live “normal” lives in their youth to focus on improving their skills and becoming the best at what they do. It’s only natural for them to want to push themselves further as they achieve each milestone.
But in sports and in life, it’s important to pause and appreciate all your accomplishments. You can’t truly feel grateful and proud of your work if you don’t stop and reflect in the moment.
No one showed this better than world-renowned professional gymnast Simone Biles. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles won three gold medals and one silver. After she won, a reporter asked her what was next for her. Biles responded that she wasn’t focused on what was next but was enjoying the moment. She even tweeted later, “You guys really gotta stop asking athletes what’s next after they win a medal at the Olympics. Let us soak up the moment we’ve worked our whole lives for.”
This is a great response from a well-centered athlete who understands the importance of soaking up her accomplishments.
2. It’s Okay to Try and Fail
It would be difficult to find a more heartwarming story coming from the 2024 Paris Olympics than that of British diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and her father.
During the Olympics, the 19-year-old achieved a bronze medal in the synchronized 10-meter platform. She then finished third in the semifinals, qualifying her for the finals.
Unfortunately, the finals didn’t go quite as Andrea had hoped. After finishing in sixth place, she was shown standing beside her father, visibly distressed by her performance. What captured the world’s attention was her father’s response to her. He was filmed telling her, “It’s sport. Some days you win, and some days you lose. And yesterday you did brilliant.” He then read her a text he had received. “Let Andrea know the whole country is proud of her. My daughter wants to try diving because of her. She’s a superhero.”
Andrea took in her father’s words and said, “It just wasn’t meant to be.” Her dad replied, “It wasn’t meant to be today.”
We tend to focus on the Olympic winners, but ultimately, some athletes go home feeling they came so close to their dreams and didn’t achieve them.
Andrea and her father reminded us of the importance of accepting that you won’t always win, and that’s okay. That shouldn’t stop you from trying again.
3. Have Compassion for Others
Olympians spend their lives preparing to compete against others and win at all costs. But they also know that sportsmanship and kindness to others are more important than winning.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, that sportsmanship came through in real life. New Zealand athlete Nikki Hamblin and American Abbey D’Agostino crashed into each other on the 5,000-meter track just four laps from the end. D’Agostino had twisted her leg, and Hamblin stopped to help pull her back up. The pair then helped each other across the finish line, where they came in last.
Later in interviews, Hamblin told reporters about D’Agostino stopping to offer her a hand: “That girl is the Olympic spirit right there.”
This pair showed the world that being a good person should be everyone’s priority.
4. Know When to Take a Mental Health Break
Caring for your mental health is as essential as focusing on your physical health. When you have a broken bone or a cold, you stop to address it. The same attention should be placed on mental health issues.
Simon Biles makes our list for a second time with her example of prioritizing mental health when needed. During the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Biles was having mental health difficulties that ultimately led to her pulling out of several events. She ended up announcing she was taking a mental health break and took a 2-year hiatus from competing.
The break worked for her, as she returned refreshed and has been on a nonstop winning streak.
When she returned, Biles said in an interview, “I worked on myself a lot. I still do therapy weekly, and it’s just been so exciting to come out here and have the confidence I had before.”
This example clearly illustrates the power of taking a needed mental health break. When you’re struggling with your mental health, you can’t give any other part of your life the full attention it deserves. Recognizing you need help and need to pause can be beneficial and lead to returning stronger than ever.
5. The Value of Perseverance and Discipline in Olympian Mental Health
Professional athletes know better than anyone the importance of discipline and persevering through hard times. They must stick to rigorous training schedules and often deal with injuries that set them back, only to come back stronger and more committed than ever.
One shining example of perseverance and discipline is Lindsey Caroline Vonn, an American former alpine ski racer who won several World Cups and an Olympic medal. Downhill alpine skiing can be quite dangerous, and Vonn didn’t always escape without damage during her career. From 2006 to 2016, the young athlete suffered nine major injuries and underwent five surgeries.
That didn’t stop her from focusing on healing and getting back out there to compete. Despite her injuries, Vonn became the first American woman to win a gold medal in downhill skiing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Her commitment to her sport is a true inspiration of what’s possible if you set your mind to it.
Mental Health Support at FHE Health
These lessons from Olympians illustrate the importance of caring for your mental health. When you’re doing well mentally, you have the power and strength to achieve amazing goals.
FHE Health is a mental health treatment center that can help you get well. Contact us today to take a step toward a better tomorrow.
