As the world came together for the first time following the pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Games were an extraordinary demonstration of unity and celebration. With a deep appreciation for how tough the past 15 months had been on everyone back home and around the world, Chad’s goal was to bring hope to his country. However, it was during this event Chad realised he was not his usual self.
After not making the final of the 100m butterfly and placing 5th in the 200m event, finishing three seconds behind the event’s gold medallist, Chad decided to seek help as he realised that an incident that happened earlier on in the year had deeply affected his mental health.
The incident, which remains confidential was incredibly difficult to manage and deal with for Chad, especially given the fact he didn’t realised he was depressed until it affected every aspect of his life. Most people don’t seek treatment for depression at the onset. Fear, shame and lack of insight contribute towards this, and it is not an unusual occurrence for elite athletes given the high amount of stress – both mentally and physically – they experience. In fact, the Tokyo Olympics that occurred in 2021 placed a spotlight on the mental health of high performing athletes and how they handle the pressure.
For the remainder of 2021 Chad continued to work with medically professionals as he worked through his mental health issues. His biggest regret is not seeking help earlier.
In an interview with Olympics.com for World Mental Health Day 2022m Chad stated …“It was hard for me because I’m really proud of my achievements and being strong mentally. I put on a facade of being happy as I thought that talking about mental health made me look weak.”
Now, over a year later, and seeing a sports psychologist every 2 weeks, Chad is in a good place, and a positive frame of mind. His advice to anyone (whether an athlete or not) is just to take that first step and start to understand how everyday life can lead to mental health issues.
