Stress, anxiety at the Olympics

Stress, Anxiety and Mental Health in the Olympics

Women participating in the Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan are currently demonstrating how much they value their mental health as well as their physical health.

Gymnastics superstar and defending Olympic champion Simone Biles withdrew from her individual allaround competition at the Tokyo Games to focus on her mental well-being.

The 24-year-old Biles came to Tokyo as arguably the face of the Games, following the retirement of swimmer Michael Phelps and sprinter Usain Bolt.

Yet she posted on social media last Monday that she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Biles is the most decorated U.S. women's gymnast ever with 31 World/Olympic medals. She posted on social media that she felt the weight of the world on her shoulder.

That weight became too heavy after vaulting during team finals. She lost herself in midair and completed 1½ twists instead of 2½. She walked off the field after consulting with U.S. team doctor Marcia Faustin.

Biles isn’t the only woman who is speaking out to protect mental health during the Olympics.

The Norwegian women’s beach handball team last week was fined 1,500 euro (about $1,765) by the European Handball Federation for wearing spandex shorts instead of bikini bottoms during the team’s bronze medal match at the European Beach Handball Championships.

The Norwegian players knew they would be flouting International Handball Federation guidelines, but chose to do the uniform change to protest against archaic rules that prioritize hypersexualization over the comfort of the athletes.

The Norwegian Handball Federation supported the players and agreed to pay the fines on their behalf.

While they don’t say it, the female players were speaking out for their mental health over being viewed for their sexualisation in sport instead of their athletic prowess.

The message to the world shows they won’t tolerate it anymore and want to be taken seriously for their sport.

In sports, especially Olympic sports, the unspoken message is that men come to play, women are putting on a show in their uniforms that promote a deeply embedded sexism.

Sexism and the pressure to perform has affected the mental health of athletes, both male and female. This can result in anxiety and cause an impact on a person’s physical health too.

“No one is immune from the underlying pain and suffering that anxiety can have on a person, -- even a trained and extraordinaire Olympic athlete like Simone Biles,” says Dr. Allison Chase of Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center based in Austin, Texas.

“Anxiety has its roots in biology as well as one’s environment and, unfortunately, it can’t always be wished or pushed away. I applaud Simone Biles for taking the very tough and brave stance to take care of herself emotionally by stepping back and addressing her emotional discomfort

.“It can’t be easy to do amidst all of the pressure from her country and team.”

From an herbal and natural health perspective, there are supplements that can help with anxiety, mental health and performance.

For immediate trauma or anxiety, the Bach Rescue Remedy can help settle nerves and butterflies in the stomach. The 5 flower remedy is safe for pets and children with no side effects.

For ongoing focus and concentration, using herbal adaptogens such as ginseng and ashwagandha can help. See this month’s article on Ashwagandha for more details.

Valerian, lemon balm, lavender and chamomile are good herbs used to calm anxiety. These can be taken as a tea, used as an essential oil or in supplement form.

Ultimately, the root of much anxiety is often around boundaries. The women in the Olympic games showed they kept to their boundaries, despite what others might say.

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