The big void after the top race
The Olympic Games in Paris are over. But for many athletes, a difficult time begins. Since Michael Phelps, the problem of post-Olympic depression has been brought more into focus. Even German sports stars speak about their experiences.
The Olympic flame has been extinguished. Emotional days filled with highs or lows lie behind the athletes. Some have been working towards this sporting peak for years, but what comes next?
Returning to everyday life after the fabulous French Games is a challenging task. Many athletes experience a great void. Years ago, record Olympic champion Michael Phelps brought the topic of post-Olympic depression into focus. The 23-time gold medalist from the USA would always fall into deep depressions after the four triumphant games.
An iceberg model
More and more people are talking about their suffering, but the dark figure is high. "It's the famous iceberg model. You see a few people talking about it, but the larger part is not visible," said psychologist Marion Sulprizio. "The topic of post-Olympic depression is a taboo for many athletes. But that's the case with many mental illnesses. The fear of stigmatization is great."
Australian researchers reported three years ago that post-Olympic depressions are not uncommon. In structured interviews, athletes explained that they often felt depressed and lonely in the first time after the Olympics. They missed the team and suddenly faced a lot of free, unplanned time.
Britta Steffen's "small post-Olympic low"
"I know many athletes who have fallen into a hole after the Olympic Games," said Britta Steffen, double Olympic champion of 2008. "I was lucky that I sought the support of Dr. Friedrike Janofske as a mental trainer early on. We always worked on new goals, on a new focus. I always looked forward to the time after the Olympics because I then had more time for my studies. That was the case in 2008 after Beijing and 2012 after London."
But Steffen also experienced tough hours. "I myself experienced a small depression after the Olympic Games in 2004 in Athens. Those were my second Olympics and they were completely messed up," the 40-year-old remembers. Injured, she couldn't bring the performances she had aimed for. "After my return, I doubted and wondered: Do you want to do this again for a third time and swim behind afterwards? That was perhaps a small post-Olympic low." She continued - and celebrated Olympic victories, world titles, world records.
Olympic veteran: Debutants are more at risk
The oppressive descriptions of US star Phelps show that even the most successful can be affected. According to Olympic veteran Ulli Knapp, trainer of Malaika Mihambo, debutants are more at risk. "Athletes who are taking part in the Olympics for the first time often fall into a hole quickly, unlike those who have made this experience before. Debutants are often overwhelmed by the huge event of the Olympics," said Knapp.
Knapp experienced eight consecutive Olympic Games and also a lot of fuss. "When you meet Steffi Graf or Dirk Nowitzki at the opening ceremony, those are special experiences. You yourself feel a lot of the radiance of these extraordinary athletes," Knapp emphasized. "A few weeks later, normal everyday life returns - that's an experience that is not always easy to process. Those are impressions that you have to learn to deal with."
Learning to deal with pressure
The manner of the season continuation can also have an impact. Malaika Mihambo, who won silver in Paris after Olympic gold in Tokyo, wants to finish the current season as planned - after recovering from her corona-related struggles. After the 2021 Games, she should have taken a vacation earlier. "The Tokyo season was very hard for me. I had to fight with myself and learn to deal with external pressure. Afterwards, I was completely exhausted. In retrospect, it would have been better to say goodbye at the time and see each other again next year," Mihambo reported. "But those are experiences you collect. I needed a bit longer to get out of my post-Olympic depression."
Phelps, the face of the documentary "The Weight of Gold", is committed to removing the stigma of mental illness. He estimates that four out of five athletes experience some form of post-Olympic depression. "Sharing my experiences has given me the chance to reach others and save lives. Those moments and emotions are 'light-years better' than winning an Olympic gold medal," he once said. His lowest point came after the 2012 Olympics in London, when he first retired. "There was a part of my life where I didn't want to be alive," he said.
"Psychology and sports psychology have many offers and do preventive work. For athletes, it's important to prepare the mindset for what's to come," said Sulprizio. "The offers are there. The usage is not yet optimal, there's room for improvement." Basically, people in sports are affected by mental illnesses just like the general population: about one in five.
Judoka Anna-Maria Wagner managed to get back on the mat with professional sports psychological help. It was tough for her after the Tokyo Games, from which she returned as a two-time bronze medalist. "Then it was nice for two weeks, did this and that. There were honors - and then nothing," she described repeatedly. After her medal-less performance in Paris, she said she "definitely won't wear a judo suit again this year," crying. But the moments as flag bearer will surely remain in her positive memory forever.
After the Olympic high, some athletes may struggle with a sense of emptiness and lack of purpose. As Britta Steffen noted, even double Olympic champion from 2008, she experienced a small post-Olympic low after her second Olympics in Athens.
The topic of post-Olympic depression is still taboo for many athletes, according to psychologist Marion Sulprizio. She likens it to the famous iceberg model, where only a few people talk about it openly, while the larger, unseen portion represents those who are struggling in silence.
