After the rush of competing at the Olympics and Paralympics, you’d expect an athlete to feel on top of the world as they return home. But for some athletes, the period after the Olympics and Paralympics can be an especially challenging time. Though it might not effect everyone, many athletes experience mental health problems after competing in the Games – sometimes known as a “post-Olympic dark period”.
Many athletes have opened up in the past about the mental health struggles they faced while adjusting to life after the Games. For instance, Olympic skier Nick Goepper reported feeling extremely depressed and even contemplated killing himself after returning home following his bronze medal win at the 2014 Winter Olympics. And the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, has spoken about experiencing severe post-Olympic depression.
