Mental health and how athletes deal with it has become top of mind for athletes, coaches and sports executives alike. That's even more so since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when American superstar gymnast Simone Biles skipped several title defenses in an attempt to protect herself.
Brazil’s Felipe Ribeiro holds his gold medal at the the podium of the men’s 4x100-meters freestyle relay at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. Brazil won the gold medal. Brazil’s Felipe Ribeiro celebrates after winning the last lap in the men’s 4 x 100-meters freestyle relay final at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.
The Brazilian says he was diagnosed last year with bipolar disorder, a mental illness that can cause shifts in mood, energy and activity levels, among other symptoms. He said his treatment has been based on a change of medication — which was previously for depression — and regular consultations with a psychiatrist, which allowed him to gradually return to training in March and competition in April.
Today, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have 13 practitioners working full time. Most of U.S. competitors at the Pan American Games in Santiago also have available psychologists or counselors, who pick up signals that could be key in helping them ahead of the Paris Olympics next summer. “One is the sense of belonging or a thwarted sense of belonging, meaning that they don’t feel like they belong anywhere,” Brutus said. “The other is the capacity for increased distress, tolerance. The third one is that sense of burdensome, when they see their problems hits others.”
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