This may be the dooropener that every athlete in the world that every athlete should have or should have had in their years of active sporting. its a documentary on mental health issues in the top level of executing sports on top level, or olympian level, or as the layman journalist often say'' the proffesionals'' in sporting, and how life turns out when stepping down or retirement from the sport is a fact.
and the fact is that many people really hits headless into a brick wall when everyday life begins. ive been doing swimming, on a pretty tough level nationally with 22-30 hours of practice pr week, and i was far from talented and not birthgiven the genes and bodytype to become a great swimmer, but i did do it. when i quit swimming due to studies and work to make a living i didnt become depressed, but i lost a lot of friends, and became extremely introvert and more and more isolated due to that, loosing confidence, and as time went by i became more frustrated and despaired than depressed.
my conclusion have, as years have passed by, is that athletes, especially athletes on top level in individual sports are extremely nerdy, maybe the nerdiest of all humankind, and to be nerdy is often caused by some kind of latent mental health issues. im an old grumpy man today, married with children and grandchildren, none doing sports, actually they hate the thought of competing(maybe from their mothers side). but these day when children are detected by the environment of kindergarden and schools showing signs of , and /or being diagnosed with mental health issues, i have concluded and have been supported by school mates and sports friends in later years that i must've been an ad/hd'er and extreme OCD'er when growing up, keeping my symptoms under cotrol by practicing till fatigue made me sleep, and my life was completely automatized into wake up,eat train,school, eat, train, homework ,eat and sleep in a neverending clockwork of never letting the guards down. so imagine was i the only one being like that??
i guess serious athletes do have a loose screw inside ones temples, and should really be taken cared of and asked by their coaches and surroundings, how do you do today, every day as long as sports are the only thing that matters in life. mental readyness for later life experiences can be better managed if talked over during the active years.
its a good and comprehensive documentary, that actually couldve been even better if based on more factual findings, but the stories told by phelps and others are gutwrenching, and almost had me crying when viewing.so R.I.P to those who couldnt manage life anymore, and take care to all the rest of the worlds retiree's thats still alive and kicking. its a big grumpy recommend.
