Sep 53 min read

Mental Health Struggles to Olympic Medals - Reflecting on Adam Peaty's Journey

From running and swimming to gymnastics and even break dancing! The Paris Olympic Games has been entertaining for us at Cocoon Kids.

Behind the magic of the Olympics and the shiny medals are athletes with struggles just like us.

Great British Swimmer Adam Peaty has won everything in his career from Olympic medals to World Championships (Jones, 2024). But he also faced a lot of mental health struggles.

Adam Peaty pulled out of the British Championships last year because of his mental health (BBC Sport, 2023). Adam didn’t feel himself and wasn’t happy swimming or racing. He said the devil on his shoulder would say 'You're missing out on life, you're not good enough, you need a drink, you can't have what you want, you can't be happy' (BBC Sport, 2023).

He also heard voices in his head saying “you don’t deserve this”, causing him to doubt himself (BBC, 2024). Having self-doubt, a lack of self-esteem or a lack of confidence can be difficult. But we are all stronger than we think, and like Adam, we can prove ourselves wrong.

Adam also struggled with drinking too much alcohol (Bird & Delaney, 2024). Drinking too much can be very dangerous for your physical and mental wellbeing. If you are struggling with this, you can find support at the end of the article.

At one point, Adam didn’t want to look at a swimming pool and would cry all the time (Wrench, 2024). Athletes may look super fit and healthy, but mental health is something that we often can’t see. Anyone can struggle with mental health, even if they appear to be happy and healthy.

From Mental Health Struggles to Olympic Medals

Despite his struggles, Adam was able to get better so he could swim for Team GB in this years’ Paris Olympics. Adam won a silver medal in the 100m Breaststroke and he now has 3 gold and 3 silver Olympic medals (Everitt, 2024). From shedding tears in the pool to winning an Olympic medal shows us that crying and having poor mental health doesn’t make us weak.

Adam and his teammates finished 4th in the Men’s 4x100m Medley. Adam said "I think I have got to step away from the sport. It’s just hurt too much this time” (Everitt, 2024). Disappointment can be very difficult when we have worked so hard. But we can use failure to motivate ourselves to improve. Mistakes also help us learn so we can grow even stronger.

The Importance of Taking Breaks

Adam said that he will continue to train after the Olympics but he also needs to take a break (Jones, 2024). He said that he needs to find the right balance between swimming and spending time with his family and try to find out who he is away from the pool (Jones, 2024). Sometimes when we feel overwhelmed, burnt out or stressed, it is important to take a break to protect our mental health.

We hope Adam Peaty is able to take the time he needs to heal and make the decision about his future with a clear mind. We may even see him at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

What We've Learnt From Adam

The stories of athletes like Adam Peaty, who have struggled with mental health, show us that depression, anxiety, self-doubt, and issues of alcohol or substance abuse can effect anyone. You shouldn’t feel alone, embarrassed or ashamed.

It is important to take care of your metal health as it can affect how you feel, think and act. Having good mental wellbeing can allow you to think more clearly to make decisions, improve the relationships with the people you love, and increase your self-esteem so you can be a happier and healthier person (Anwar, 2021). That’s why it's important to ask for help if you are struggling.

Need someone to talk to?

If you have struggled with your mental health, alcohol abuse or substance abuse and want to get help, here are some excellent organisations here to help you.