Beware of the Post-Olympic Blues
By Dr. Anna Enright, DNP, PCNS-BC
The summer Olympics have just concluded and we hope you had as much fun following the excitement as we did! There were 8 US climbers competing:
Team USA at Paris 2024: Colin Duffy, Natalia Grossman, Jesse Grupper, Zach Hammer, Emma Hunt, Piper Kelly, Sam Watson, and Brooke Raboutou.
The team came home with a medal in each discipline (bronze in speed and silver in sport) as well as a new world record in speed climbing!
Photo by USA Climbing
Rock climbing made its debut in the Olympic Games three years ago in Tokyo, where Nathaniel Coleman won an Olympic Silver medal. In the 2020 Olympics, which were postponed to 2021 due to the Covid Pandemic, medals were awarded in one overall climbing event that included speed, sport, and bouldering. This year, speed climbing has its own category. The climbing community was excited to see this change as speed requires a completely different skill set than the other disciplines.
Raising Awareness about Post-Olympic Blues
Qualifying for and participating in the Olympics is the ultimate dream for many athletes. However, behind the glitz and glamor showcased in the news and on Instagram, Olympians often face numerous challenges. These challenges can range from the pressure to perform to anxiety and depression. Years of hard work and preparation lead up to the Games, and the weight of expectations from themselves, family, coaches, and their countries can contribute to these struggles.
Data suggests that athletes can experience post-Olympic blues, which, for some, can lead to clinical depression. This emotional crash occurs when athletes face a let down in emotions following the physical and mental peak of the Olympic Games. The experience is not limited to medal winners; athletes of all levels and achievements can experience a downward spiral of emotions after the games. Post Olympic depression can occur days or weeks after the Games and last for a significant period. Symptoms of this crash include confusion, loss of purpose, irritability, negative self-worth, and emptiness.
There is often an adjustment period as athletes struggle to find their identity and purpose after the intense build-up to the Olympics. Transitioning from the high-pressure environment of training and competition to everyday life can be challenging. It is crucial for athletes, coaches, and governing bodies to understand these risks and provide support throughout the rollercoaster experience of pre, during, and post-Olympic life.
Data on Danish Athletes
A study examined the number of Danish athletes experiencing, what they called, post-Olympic blues after the Tokyo Olympics. Out of 49 participants, 27% of athletes reported below-average wellbeing or moderate to severe depression scores, with 16% reporting both below-average wellbeing and moderate to severe depression scores. Female athletes reported significantly higher levels of depression than males. Athletes experience post Olympic Blues regardless of outcome although there was some indication that those who did not meet expectations were more likely to have a negative experience.
Photo by USA Climbing
Data on Coaches and Support Staff
A qualitative study examined the pre, during, and post-game impact on the wellbeing of coaches and support staff. For coaches and staff, heading to the Olympics is a pinnacle experience that showcases their hard work. Like athletes, coaches make many sacrifices, often neglecting their own wellbeing due to their unwavering focus on athletes.
Coaches and staff empathize and support their athletes through a range of positive and negative emotions. While empathizing with positive emotions can be a positive experience, sharing in negative emotions can be exhausting. The psychological demands of the experience can leave coaches and staff feeling depleted after the Olympic Games.
Participants in the study described low mood, a lack of pleasure in activities, irritability, lack of energy, inability to focus, and feelings of guilt. Some participants even experienced their bodies "shutting down" following the Olympic Games. The participants had difficulty understanding how, after such an accomplishment as participating in the Olympic Games, they could hit such a low point. One explanation is that efforts were focused on pursuing medals rather than supporting or planning for the post-Olympic period.
Strategies to Overcome Post-Olympic Blues
Engage in conversations about the mental impact of competition.
Establish an identity beyond athletic achievements.
Maintain a support network and stay connected.
Engage in activities outside of sports.
Seek professional help when needed.
Photo by USA Climbing
The conversation around mental health in sports, including the Olympics, has gained significant attention in recent years. Athletes like Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and Naomi Osaka have openly discussed their struggles, breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraging others to seek support.
“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.” Simone Biles, 2023
For Simone Biles the proof that taking time out for mental health matters, is in her amazing performance at the Paris games where she has won 4 medals, three of them gold!!!
This increased awareness has led to a more open dialogue about mental health among athletes and coaches. I have read that for the first time in Olympic history, there is a mindfulness and meditation space right next to the gym in the Olympic village in Paris!
Although the focus of this post is the Olympic experience, it is crucial to have these conversations with athletes at all levels. In my years of being a judge at both local and National youth competitions, I have seen many young athletes struggling to manage overwhelming emotions pre and post competition.
The rollercoaster of emotions pre-during and post the Olympic experience is well documented. Having a plan to recover and reset after big events is as important as planning for and participating in the Games. Being aware of the post-Olympic Blues is a crucial aspect of this preparation.
