The Olympics have now ended. Some of us are still probably trying to figure out what to do with our lives. But think about the athletes. As soon as August 22nd came and went, more than 11,000 athletes left Rio, some winners, but more losers with thoughts of falling short of their expectations.

Even athletes suffer from post-Olympic depression. Scott Goldman, the director of the Performance Psychology Center at the University of Michigan, says, "[The athletes] are just exhausted; it was such an onslaught to their system. And when it's all said and done, they're just physiologically depleted, as well as psychologically." For example, U.S. swimmer Allison Schmitt, set world records at 2012 London Olympics and even won three gold medals, but after the games she felt depressed. She said, "We're taught we can push through anything, we can make it wherever we want to go, and we're always told to not ask for help."

After the 2008 Olympics eight-time gold medal winning U.S. swimming phenom Michael Phelps admitted, "I took some wrong turns and found myself in the darkest place you could ever imagine." Kristin Keim, a clinical sports psychologist, says that one key to overcoming this post-Olympic depression is to build an identity off the playing field.

Possible Preaching Angle:

That is the key for Christians when we are faced with hard times. We need to build our identity in Christ.

Source:

John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro, “The Dark Side of Going for Gold,” The Atlantic (8-18-16)