The psychology of retirement
Retirement time is a mentally demanding time for athletes. There are some factors that need to be addressed about why this time is very important for one’s mental health.
First of all, when athletes retire, they are still young. In certain sports too young to be exact, like in gymnastics where you can be retired by age 24 for example. It is important to have in mind that it is a great change for someone that have their whole life ahead. This is from a psychological point of view, completely different from a retirement from a “traditional” career. An athlete now has a whole life laying in front of him to figure everything out. The time is there, but there is a need for a purpose. That purpose is not to be taken for granted. It is one of the biggest challenges one has to face.
Think of it like this: you have been not only doing something specific, but also living a certain way(nutrition,schedule etc.) for the last 30 years. Now this is over and something else must replace it. How do you make the transition? Is it a process like pressing a button and everything is ok? Plus you are like, 40 years old and have to plan ahead. Exactly this concept of the available time ahead and uncertainty of how to use it, is what can develop psychological problems to the individual.
Sports are considered as the continuation of childhood play. It is said that this is one of the most important factors of its success. While you play, you are in an ideal time and place, playing with your friends, winning, feeling great about the effort, you are strong. You only have to think about that, nothing outside matters, the adult world can wait. When that is over, from a mental viewpoint, it is like a realization that the childhood is over and it is time to get into adulthood with its responsibilities and various roles. One has to be ready for this kind of passage. This must be done in a smooth way in order to be normal and many times the help of an expert is advised.
Then, the self-image may take a hit in two ways: from a mental view and from the body view.
Mentally, one has to accept that he/she will no more be regarded as an athlete with certain skills and attributes in the certain field of excellence. What it really takes, is a process of inventing oneself from the beginning. Now everything I have ever done is behind me and never again will I have the chance to do the same. Ok, so what do I do now, who will I become? If one stays in the past, a neurosis will occur and depression is more likely to be developed. Many choose to continue in their sport from another stand as coaches or sports personnel. Others make a total shift going into other ventures such as business for example. The funny part is that what you did yesterday is as far away in the past as something you did 10 years ago. Be in peace with that and see what you do today.
As far as the body is concerned, many athletes face the problem of obesity. You see, you have used to a certain diet that covered your training needs. Now those needs are removed but the dietary habits remain. What happens when the same calories are inserted but not spent? Yes. And for someone that was used to seeing their body in the maximum funcionality and beauty, this change has a psychological toll too. There needs to be a balance with a form of continuing physical activity, no matter if there is no achievement goal present.
Those are just some of the many challenges an athlete faces upon retirement. It is a topic that needs to be present always both in the minds of athletes and the way the federations, clubs,sports organizations approach the sport and the individual athlete. An athlete is not useful only when generating records, there is more value to be derived even when the playing days are over.
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