Back in summer 2021, the world learned a big lesson about Olympic athletes and 心理健康 when 西蒙阴, a highly decorated gold medalist gymnast, pulled out of the competition. 她后来分享了她的挣扎 “的” and sent a powerful message to the public: It’s okay to sit one out—even when a gold medal is at stake.
“When high-profile athletes like 西蒙阴 speak out, it helps to show the realness of the athlete—the actual person behind the athlete,” 法国. 戴维斯二，MSPAS, PA-C她是一名高级临床医师 亨斯迈心理健康研究所. “This is what people want to connect with and what drives the closer connection between athletes and fans.”
当大发娱乐看夏季奥运会的时候, it’s important to remember that these inspiring athletes face many 心理健康 struggles as they push their bodies and minds to the limits.
奥运选手也是人类
There’s no doubt about it: Olympic athletes are truly incredible to watch. 尽管他们有超人的能力, they have the same health care needs and vulnerabilities as the rest of us.
“They are no different than what one might consider to be a ‘normal person,’ except for the fact that they are in the top 1-5% of athletes in the world in their specific sport,戴维斯说.
实现最佳性能, 戴维斯建议运动员结合这些基本的, 但是非常有效, 将健康的生活习惯融入日常生活中：
“These athletes need to make sure they are caring for their minds and bodies by incorporating the concept of ‘brain food’ (habits that increase cognitive and emotional productivity) into their daily regimen,戴维斯说.
赛前心理策略
While watching close-ups of Olympic athletes on the big screen, it’s a wonder what they must be thinking just before they take that big tumbling pass or dive into the pool. 根据戴维斯的说法, athletes can take several steps to collect themselves before and during these high-pressure moments.
- 可视化: Athletes can build confidence and alleviate anxiety by mentally rehearsing a performance. This can be done by closing your eyes and imagining a big-picture view with a victorious outcome or a step-by-step progression from start to finish.
- 目标设定: This strategy helps athletes stay focused, motivated, and positive. 比赛前, athletes use goal setting to break down large objectives into manageable, 可行的步骤. 比赛期间, they can focus on a specific attainable goal that challenges them to reach their highest potential.
- 放松的技巧: 在压力之下, athletes can address self-doubt and anxiety by practicing simple relaxation techniques such as positive self-talk, 深呼吸练习, 渐进式肌肉放松, 可视化, 声音疗法.
学生运动员看不见的挣扎
Practice makes perfect, which is why Olympic athletes spend most of their waking hours in training. This workload is even more daunting for student-athletes who have little to no room for a work-life balance.
“不像运动员只专注于自己的运动, student-athletes are juggling school schedules and work along with training and competing,戴维斯说. “They are also dealing with the pressure of social expectations from peers as they try to build their social identities.”
Davis says it’s important for student-athletes to be aware of their unique challenges and to seek help when they’re feeling overwhelmed.
“获得奖学金的压力, 获得大学录取, or even transition to professional sports can be extremely overwhelming,戴维斯说. “所有这些挑战都会导致睡眠问题, 倦怠, 学习成绩差, and the inability to maintain peak sports performance.”
改变关于韧性的对话
现在, as more athletes are sharing their vulnerabilities around 心理健康, Davis says it’s time to change the narrative about mental toughness.
“我不喜欢‘精神坚强’这个词,’ as it implies that athletes can’t feel or express certain natural emotions. I think it should be changed to ‘competitive emotional agility,’ which refers to an athlete’s ability to quickly adapt their emotional responses to dynamic high-pressure situations in the sport.”
Understanding the art of emotional intelligence in sports, also known as “体育EI”, 能改变游戏规则吗, Davis says—especially when athletes are constantly under pressure to push through physical and emotional pain to show their “Olympic spirit.”
"克服痛苦, 忽视伤害, or suppressing emotions over extended periods of time can cause an athlete to erupt in a way that yields negative consequences both in life and performance—all in the name of ‘toughness,’”戴维斯说。.
当“严厉的爱”变成有毒的
糟糕的教练会造成很大的伤害, especially when professional athletes spend more time in training than they do at home with their loved ones. 以下是一些需要记住的危险信号：
- Verbal abuse such as name-calling and public humiliation
- Pushing an athlete to compete or train while injured and disregarding their need for rest
- Neglecting an athlete’s 心理健康 concerns or needs
- Creating a toxic sporting environment by showing favoritism and unfair preferential treatment
- Fostering an environment of fear and discouraging open communication
畅所欲言的力量
在未来, Davis hopes to see more athletes using their platforms to share their stories and help others feel less isolated.
“It’s important for these individuals to speak out because it breaks down the stigma wall surrounding the issue of 心理健康 and normalizes the struggle,戴维斯说. “俗话说，不好也没关系. This can resonate even more when coming from a high-profile athlete.”