‘Olympic slump’ is a common post-game ailment – here’s what it is and how athletes deal with it

Imagine hearing a crowd of roaring fans every time you appear. Thousands of flashes following your every move. Every moment of your life is dedicated to preparing for the huge moment: training, performances, media interviews and photo shoots. And then imagine going back to your daily life – getting used to the daily humdrum of bills, going back to your daily job and going back to your household chores.

What happens when the crowds stop screaming and you have to face returning to normal life?

When the Olympic Games end on August 11, we who watched these emotions – and perhaps experienced them ourselves – vicarious satisfaction – may also experience a feeling of emptiness. But that is nothing compared to the emptiness that many athletes will experience after the Olympic Games.

For athletes returning home from the Olympics, the trip usually involves a radical change of scenery and significant physical and mental changes. A different climate, sights and smells, and no more excitement in the anticipation-filled arenas. Suddenly, the buzz around the athlete’s performance fades, and the intense training schedule returns to normal as their bodies recover.

For athletes, preparing for the Olympic Games is a four-year cycle that requires enormous personal and professional sacrifices and is associated with enormous pressure.

The event itself is a sensory overload experience—huge crowds and deafening noise. Add to that the pressure of performing on a world stage and—for at least two weeks—the celebrity status that comes with being an Olympic athlete.

Some athletes thrive in this environment, especially on your own territory. But for others it may be a terrible experience.

Even seasoned Olympic athletes like the American gymnast and 11-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles and former American swimmer Michael Phelps – the most decorated and most successful swimmer of all time – has opened up about their post-Olympic sadness.

Reflecting on this, Phelps said in May 2024, “2004 was my first experience of post-Olympic depression, you know, coming off that high.” Nile Wilson, a British artistic gymnast and Olympic bronze medalist, has spoken in public about his experience of post-Olympic relegation.

“Exit” is a term commonly associated with withdrawal from stimulant drugs. However, the feelings experienced by athletes are not that different. The high that athletes feel during sports has been linked to release of the hormone adrenaline. The Olympic descent is a reaction to the “high” one feels when adrenaline is released during the games.

Adrenaline addiction is often associated with extreme sport participants, but studies have shown that addictive disorders – including alcoholism, drugs and gambling – can affect athletes from many disciplines.

Success can become like a drug for elite athletes. And unfortunately, for some, the “high” of victory and attention can be replaced by other addictions once the competition is over. Athletes report feeling like “rock stars“- one of the professional wrestlers commented on this “there is no better medicine” than their sport.

Long-term media attention may delay the attack Post-Olympic Blues But for many athletes who retire from elite sport altogether, this shift from feeling like a star to becoming an ordinary person again can pose earnest risks to their mental health and well-being. Replacing the sporting experience with something constructive can be a challenge.

Dealing with depression after the event

Many athletes have a mighty but narrow sense of identity – what they do is a huge part of who they are. When athletes return from the Olympic Games, they may experience existential crisisasking yourself “what now?” or “what does this all mean?”

But it doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Studies have shown that when athletes stop playing sports, it can be an opportunity to reflect, clarify values ​​and seek alternative ways of life.

Preparing your mind and body to tranquil down for your own health is just as vital as mentally preparing for the performance. Study 2022 It was reported that this type of preparation and support for athletes is still insufficient.

Just days before 800m runner Keely Hodgkinson wins gold in Paris 2024 opened up about experiencing depression after finishing second and winning “only” silver at the Tokyo Olympics four years earlier, saying: “I didn’t realize that a drop in form after the Olympics was such a huge deal.”

Post-event crises are not narrow to Olympic athletes, however. We can all experience depression after a long period of preparation for a major life event. While the following coping strategies have been suggested by elite athletes To assist other athletes overcome post-competition depression, they may be useful to anyone trying to cope with the sadness after a major event.

The first step is to accept that you know you have achieved your goal, and then take some time off to enjoy and celebrate what you have accomplished. Reflect on what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what you enjoyed. Most importantly, make a list of the enjoyable things you didn’t get to do in the lead-up to the event – ​​for example, going to the movies, spending more time off on hobbies, friends and family, or going to the beach. Then, in your free time after the event, make it a point to go and do those things.

Filling our lives with meaningful activities after a huge event can assist all of us cope with a low mood – whether we’re Olympic stars or regular people.