Navigating Mental Health in Gymnastics

The world of gymnastics is characterized as an intense practice that includes a slew of public displays and constant evaluation. Perfectionism, critiques, and daily training can lead to issues like anxiety, depression, and chronic stress, with both gymnasts and your coaching team. Mental health awareness in gymnastics is finally starting to get traction with the surrounding media behind Simone Biles’ withdrawal during the Tokyo Olympics. Her withdrawal from the competition has opened new doorways for discussion about gymnasts’ psyche and how to implement a good mental health practice. As a club owner, having regular, open discussions about mental health issues with your coaches and gymnasts is a great way to support to their wellbeing and help prevent incidents within your gym.

Understanding Mental Illness

The stigma behind the words “mental illness” can make many feel a little uneasy, especially when they do not understand the full scope of what a mental illness is. The brain is a complex organ, and like any other organ, it may not be working the way it should. Mental Illness is a medical condition that can disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, daily functioning, and ability to relate to others. It is considered a disorder of the brain, which means that it does not develop due to a person’s character or intelligence. No one should be to blame for why someone may be affected with a mental illness! It can affect anyone: male or female, young or old. It is found in every culture and socio-economic group in between.

There are many factors that come into play when someone is diagnosed with a mental disorder, it could be genetic or relate to other environmental/social factors. Diagnosing a mental illness requires clinical observations of behaviors from a medical professional. Some common symptoms to be aware of can include social withdrawal, mood disturbances, thought disturbances, irregular expression of feelings, or changes in behavior.  If you believe you, a gymnast, or coach is experiencing these symptoms, you should always talk with a medical professional for an official diagnosis. If you know someone that may have a diagnosed mental illness, it is best practice to be aware of and try to avoid triggers as to prevent incident. Some common triggers could include conflicts with loved ones/friends, exposure to mental and/or physical abuse, discrimination, losses due to death/illness, large groups of people, etc. There are numerous more to be explored but knowing how you can help as a club owner is the beginning steps to having a mental health plan in place for your gym.

Tips to De-Escalate/Prevent A Mental Crisis

In your gym, the best way to have an open discussion and help prevent a mental crisis is to have a plan of action in place. Having a plan available to your staff and training them on the matter, can help prevent a situation from going from bad to horrible.

Some tips to educate yourself and staff include keeping a calm voice and asking how you can help. Rather than taking control of a situation, offer alternative options like breathing techniques. A great one to implement is the 5 4 3 2 1 grounding exercise, which will help ease stress, anxiety, and that general overwhelming feeling. In mental crisis situations, avoiding physical contact with the person is best. Ensure they have given you permission, which could include phrases like “May I hug you?” or “May I touch your shoulder/grab your hand?”.  Always be patient in these situations, while that is easier said than done, being patient and calm will prevent any further escalation.

If you feel you cannot de-escalate a crisis, you should seek help for a mental health profession. If there is no immediate danger, call the next available person that is familiar with the situation, as they may know other calming and soothing techniques. If it is life threating, contact 911 immediately and ask for someone that is trained to work with mental illnesses, like a Crisis Intervention Training Officer (CIT).

Advocating for Treatment

When shaping your mental health plan, ensure you are organized and objective. Make sure you are educating in available services, like understanding patient and client rights, teletherapy, meditation, and general education about different mental illnesses. Talk with your team about how you can help cope with stress and offer some solutions like hiring an onsite therapist, or partnering with an organization like Project Heathy Minds, which includes resources like helplines, guides for emotional states, and support. You can also include in your gym could be putting up posters in bathrooms or community club boards with a crisis text line number. The Crisis Text Line is Text HOME to 741741. This text line is free and has 24/7 crisis counseling available.

Mental Health shouldn’t be a topic that is avoided, especially in a competitive sport like gymnastics. Balancing mental and physical challenges can become stressful for both athletes and coaches. When you can understand the source of stresses that happen in your gym, you are able to create a viable plan that creates a comforting safety net for the wellbeing of your staff and gymnasts.