Learning to Take a Time Out: Athletes Prioritizing Mental Health

"I think we're just a little bit too stressed out...But we should be out here having fun — and sometimes that's not the case."

This quote from gold medal winning gymnast Simone Biles summarizes the delicate balance for athletes today as they struggle to maintain a love and passion for their sports along with their own mental health and wellbeing. After stepping down from competition in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to mental health struggles, Biles started a much needed conversation about mindfulness and self care in the world of athletics. 

In the United States alone, there are approximately 46.6 million people living with a mental health condition- that is equal to 1 in 5 Americans. It is known that playing sports and staying active can help relieve stress for some people, but research shows that 34% of elite athletes struggle with anxiety or depression. Over the past decade however, conversation about mental illness has become more open and people are able to receive more comprehensive help. Still there is far to go in terms of acceptance and understanding of mental health, especially in elite athletes.

This year alone, the mental health services committee for the U.S. Olympic and Parolympic teams received about 10 requests daily during the games to support athlete’s mental health needs. According to an article in Time Magazine, these mental health requests stemmed from a variety of places - everything from post-pandemic stress, to performance anxiety, to family matters. 

Athletes’ intense pressure to succeed coupled with social media, entertainment, and industry attention also pile on stress for already-overwhelmed athletes. 

“We are in an era where everybody has access to us,” Portland Trail Blazers star and member of the U.S. men's basketball team Damian Lillard said. “In the past, being a professional athlete or being an Olympian, you were in front of the world but everybody couldn’t just tweet you and everybody couldn’t slander you on Twitter and you become a trending topic and talk about you on Instagram and the Internet just wasn’t such a powerful place.”

Conversations about mental health on the Olympic stage are not new only to Tokyo 2020. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps spoke out about his own struggles in the HBO documentary The Weight of Gold; tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open and skipped Wimbledon after citing her anxiety and depression. Both athletes are considered some of the best in the world, and yet they have made the difficult decision to put their own needs first in the midst of their performances. 

In light of the celebration of greatness in the Olympics, take time to celebrate the small wins in your life too. Instead of pushing yourself to the extreme, take a step back and check in with yourself and your mental state. You may achieve your biggest goals for the moment but at what cost? If “winning the gold” in your life costs you your sleep, sanity, and overall wellness, it isn’t really a win. 

Putting your mental health first is not easy, but it is definitely an accomplishment you should be proud of.