Author : Maria João Heitor, psychiatrist In Portugal, about 23% of adults (more than 1 in 5) annually suffer from mental health disorders. And there are ages and groups that are more vulnerable. 75% of mental illnesses begin, worldwide, before the age of 25; High-performance athletes are a high vulnerability group. To compete, win and protect mental health “The important thing is not to win, but to compete”. This phrase of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the Olympic Games of the modern era, is not reflected in high-performance athletes. These athletes are trained to win at all costs, for a permanent overcoming. This often involves loss, even temporarily, of physical and mental health and well-being. It is known that mental health problems can affect about 45% of high-performance athletes . These problems are, among others: Anxiety; Depression and suicide risk; Misuse of alcohol and other psychoactive substances; Behavioral additions (such as game addition); Eating behavior disorders; Burnout. The physical and mental life of athletes There are three main moments in the mental and physical lives of athletes: Pre-competition , with relationships in sport, involving the athlete, the coach and the family; Competition , with a high number of factors that cause stress (stressors) and complex expectations management; Post-competition or post-career , preceded by a transition period, with emptiness, questions of identity, the need to change lifestyles and redirect sources of income, the difficulty in finding work or to be unemployment. The current contexts in which we all live, post-pandemic, with war, energy crisis and economic crisis, inevitably influence and exacerbate the risk factors inherent in each of these stages of life for athletes. Challenges and opportunities Talking about mental health and facing stigma and fear of discrimination are huge challenges. If a person has, for example, a stomach ulcer or high blood pressure, it is probably okay to declare it. If you are depressed, it is more difficult for you to admit it. And depressive, anxiety and other disorders are very common neurobiological diseases of the brain. When someone suffers from mental symptoms, they are afraid that this will be seen by others as a 'sign of weakness', they fear negative consequences, and many times it is the person himself who has difficulty accepting the problem and tends to hide it even to the family. It is called self-stigma . These taboos prevent timely seeking of help. Fortunately, many international and national athletes have already 'showed up', facing the issue normally and assuming their mental problem . On the other hand, professional support networks are beginning to emerge. In the face of these challenges, there are many opportunities. The first opportunity is to inform civil society, professionals, athletes and everyone who deals with them on a daily basis about what mental health and mental illness are. We have to promote health literacy, basically knowing how to better inform and educate. The second opportunity is to identify the protective factors in each of the athletes phases. Healthy lifestyles, not always present, leisure activities, rest management, social and family support, development of resilience not only directed towards performance, and looking at psychological suffering and mental illness as an opportunity for learning, growth and personal development are some examples of these protective factors. The third opportunity is to bring to civil society, with a great involvement of the media, the themes of physical activity, sport and health, with an emphasis on mental health and well-being, guided by the objectives, goals and policies of the Organization of United Nations, the World Health Organization and the European Commission. During the pandemic, the President of the UK Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health told Members of Parliament: "When we close schools, we close children's lives", talking about physical activity and sport restriction, and the problems that can arise from it on an emotional level, childhood obesity and many others. We all have to learn to look at high-performance athletes as people like us, with their complexities, difficulties and successes , and not just as super machines to get results. Taking care of health, more than a daily task, is a human right. And because there is no health without mental health, this is a championship that we will have to win together! Meet the psychiatry clinical team from Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
