Post-Olympic Depression

Once every four years the Olympics happens. Just months ago, people all around the world cheered and celebrated, as talented individuals won medals and proudly represented their countries in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Then eagerly rushed to watch athletes in interviews and on social media talking about the Olympics and celebrating. For weeks after, Olympians are famous, with people wanting to know about them and their lives.

This is when what is called ‘Post Olympic Depression’ starts to kick in. Post Olympic Depression is a phase many athletes at any level can feel post competition. It is described as feeling depression, anxiety, loneliness, loss of self-worth and low self-esteem.  

Studies show that Post Olympic Blues is an actual mental illness, classified as a type of depression that can happen after a major sporting event. It happens especially with Olympians, as they are given everyone’s attention and are celebrities in the Olympic Village. But as soon as they get home everyone’s interest slowly dwindles until they move to the next trending topic. Especially Olympians that were given lots of publicity due to their performance can start to tie their athletic achievements to their self-worth and self-esteem, which makes the blow even harder when everyone moves on.

Athletes that considered competing at the Olympics their lifelong dream find it harder to stay motivated knowing that they have accomplished all they were aiming for.

Such as Michael Phelps who experienced severe Post Olympic Depression. “[You] work so hard for four years to get to that point, and then it’s like you’re… at the top of the mountain, you’re like what the hell am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go? Who am I?” he said in an interview with Healthline. He also explained how Olympic first timer athletes are more likely to fall into the hole of post-Olympic depression, as they don’t realise the Olympic high, they are on until it’s over.

Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty experienced this and shared how for years leading up to the Olympics elite athletes are used to having every minute planned out for them. When to eat, train and rest. Then suddenly they are all alone with no idea what to do with themselves. It is a hard adjustment that can be very sudden that can make freedom awkward. In an interview, psychologist Anika Brett explained how athletes are very routine people and the sudden loss of a schedule that controls their entire life for years is the main contributor to the massive amount and feeling of change. She recommended that to help combat post-Olympic Depression Athletes should still stay eating healthily and exercising daily, so that they are still staying with healthy habits and some sort of routine that vaguely resembles their old training schedule to slowly adjust to doing it less and less instead of partying, staying in bed all day and giving up because the Olympics are over.

But with more attention to mental health, Post Olympic Depression is coming to light. Olympic athletes are sharing stories of how they cope with Post Olympic Blues. Simone Biles shared how therapy has helped her, and many other athletes stay grounded all throughout the Olympics so that returning home and no longer being in the spotlight won’t have as big of an impact. Brett also recommended that to the lead up to the Olympics athletes should also have other things in their lives that are not related to the Olympics, such as a part time job, that they can return to after the Olympics to help with the feeling of normalcy and returning to normal life. She also explained that most of all, Olympians should be prepared mentally before competing so that they are able to control their feelings after, to be able to combat Post Olympic Depression.

Year 8 Journalism student