Shiffrin, Biles, Osaka: When sports stars talk about depression

The gymnast returned beaming Simone Biles Back to the World Cup stages. Last week she won her 22nd and 23rd world championship gold medals. But for many years, she also repressed traumatic experiences of abuse; And at the Olympics in Tokyo, of all places, it became too much for the Americans. After the first competition I gave up. The 24-year-old is now an ambassador for Mental Health Issues. Through them, America learned: “It’s not okay to be okay.”

Naomi Osaka He was once No. 1 in the world tennis rankings. But then she began to shy away from press conferences, finally making a statement: “The best thing for my mental health is to retire,” and Osaka took a break and became a mother in 2023. Now she wants to know it again, as she plans to return in 2024.

Skateboarding star Mikaela Shiffrin It’s all too much at the Olympics – other people’s expectations but also your own. Top server Gabriel Medina He was able to maintain the image of a son for a long time. “I was constantly sad, and it didn’t make any sense anymore. But I hid it from everyone,” said the Brazilian. He had to cut short his career and a therapist helped him through the crisis.

➤ Read more: Shiffrin emotionally: “Failure is closer to me than victory”

Even the most successful Olympian suffered from depression. swimmer Michael Phelps He won 23 gold medals, but he also admitted: “I went through a phase where I didn’t want to live anymore.”