“We are not just athletes. We are people after all, and sometimes you have to take a step back, “said American gymnast Simone Biles this Tuesday as she left the arena of the Tokyo Olympics.
This Wednesday , Biles also resigned from competing in the first individual artistic gymnastics final in Tokyo 2021, which will be played on Thursday.
He has not yet confirmed if he will participate in the next days in the other finals to which he qualified in Tokyo : jump and uneven bars (Sunday 1 August), solo (Monday 2) and balance beam (Tuesday 30).
Even though not everyone has the visibility of Biles or lives under pressure to the one that athletes are subjected to in the most important competition of the world, the athlete’s gesture can serve as a lesson and reflection for all, according to the mental health specialists interviewed by BBC News Brazil.
“Today there is more talk about mental health in the sports, music, education … and the fact that it is discussed demystifies the issue “, says clinical psychiatrist Lívia Castelo Branco.
” There are artists who choose to stay away from the networks social organizations, or athletes who have decided not to participate in the Olympic Games. When it comes to a physical problem, people can speak more naturally, for example, if there was a tear in the knee ligament and the athlete is out of competition. ”
Instead, says the doctor, “mental health, as much as we are talking about it, is more difficult to measure and address “.
“An act of great courage”
“Some people will see giving up as a lack of will or cowardice, but in reality it is an act of great courage to expose difficulties, weaknesses and mental health to the public ”, adds Castelo Branco.
The psychologist Valeska Bassan, from the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, also highlights the “courage” of Simone Biles when recognizing and expose its limits , and suggests that the decision may have been motivated by stress-related factors, but also by self-knowledge.
“We need to learn that we can quit. People program, prepare, have a focus; but at some point that approach may be different “, highlights the psychologist.
” It is asking: why do I have to go through all this? And above all, by who? “, says Bassan, highlighting the external pressures to which Biles is subjected, and also all of us.
” In our day to day, we see many situations such as It is related to work. For example, a person who studied a university degree or practices a profession to meet the expectations of the family. Or in relationships, since it was socially imposed on us that getting married is for life. ”
“ When trying to be living up to the expectations of others, we think giving up is a failure because we would disappoint more people. ”
Simone Biles herself pointed out the external pressure she is experiencing.
Mental is more important in sports right now. We have to protect our minds and our bodies , and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do, “said the athlete, who has been four times gold medal at the Olympic Games.
Attention to signs
The athlete resigned to continue the competition on Tuesday after scoring the lowest score in the Olympic jump.
“After the performance I did, I just didn’t want to continue “, he said.
“I don’t trust myself so much anymore. Maybe I’m getting old. ”
“ I didn’t want to go out and do something stupid and hurt myself . I feel like many athletes who have spoken about it They have really helped. ”
For psychiatrist Lívia Castelo Branco, what Biles said does not seem to be an impulsive decision, but rather a mental health problem that has been dragging on. Something that everyone, athletes or not, can observe with signs. And hopefully seek help in a welcoming environment, such as a technical team that listens to us.
At work, we can perceive that we suffer emotional exhaustion if, for example, we are absent frequently or productivity drops.
Valeska Bassan also mentions sleep disturbances and eating habits, repetitive thoughts, burnout (being “burned out” by work), feeling of inability or encouragement to perform known activities, and the suffering itself.
Ignoring all this not only does not solve the problem, but it can aggravate our professional and social activities, among other things.
“ Our physical and mental health are interconnected . The body is the mouthpiece of the psyche: when we are not realizing it or we are not paying attention to mental health, the body finds a way to stop and warn ”, explains the psychologist.
The symptoms cited by specialists do not necessarily represent a pathology, such as depression or anxiety, but they can be. That is why professional assistance is recommended.
Castelo Branco says that, in most cases, psychological support is sufficient, but sometimes intervention with medications may be necessary, under supervision medical. Due to the daily pressure that elite athletes are subjected to, the psychiatrist says that they are expected to have long-term psychological support .
Bassan recognizes that the reality of many people does not allow, for example, to leave a stressful job or access Professional Help. Even in these cases, reflection is important.
“If we think about work, it is more difficult to quit without support ( economic). But there are some situations where is worth pondering: for example, I have this job that generates income, but compromises my well-being. Could it be that within my possibilities I can adjust my financial conditions to find more satisfaction in a new job? ”
“ Resilience has a limit ”.
The psychologist says that seeking professional care is always the most appropriate, but also talking with loved ones, exercising and doing pleasant activities can alleviate suffering.
“If you understand yourself, observe yourself and respect yourself, it is already a big step,” adds Bassan.
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