Biles' Openness At The Tokyo Olympics Can Help Fight Stigma Around Mental Health

JAKARTA - The decision by American gymnast Simone Biles to prioritize her health at the Tokyo Olympics could help fight the stigma of mental illness or mental disorders, says expert Ben Miller.

Miller, a psychologist and president of the California-based Well Being Trust, said mental health has been marginalized in society for too long and athletes who talk about this topic should be applauded.

"Other athletes who may have been overwhelmed with similar issues now feel it's okay to talk about it. There was something very strong in that moment," Miller said.

"You're always going to have detractors and people who say, 'Oh, they're just making excuses because they can't look good.' Which I think is unfortunate. It's an example of a stigma."

Biles, who won four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, this week said pressure to live up to expectations and the need to protect his mental health led him to withdraw from the team event in Tokyo.

The 24-year-old gymnast has also withdrawn from the individual all-around.

Miller says that while top athletes have a coach who helps with the physical side of their performance, a person's mind is part of his body and must be treated with the same diligence so that they can manage the pressures of competing on the big stage.

This is especially crucial for athletes who have endured the year-long postponement of the Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are competing amid strict health protocols that have kept them away from family support in the arena and without spectators when competing in Tokyo.

USA Gymnastics has confirmed to #Tokyo2020 that six-time Olympic medallist Simone Biles will not participate in Thursday's (29 July) women's all-around final.For more information

— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) July 28, 2021

"We're still in the middle of a pandemic, so there's social disconnection, no audience cheering you on, a lot of things being amplified or magnified by COVID which I think is behind a lot of this," Miller said.

"So I think number one is you need to have someone prepared who can address the mental health side of your health. If we don't have that, then it's just pretend."

Miller says that ensuring athletes get the mental health care they may need will go a long way in improving their overall well-being, not just for their performance, but for their lives.

"We might recruit these athletes and train them to peak physical performance. We teach them, work with them, encourage them, challenge them, and focus on their bodies," Miller continued.

"And by not paying attention to their minds, they're not bringing out the full potential of their bodies. And in some cases, it's actually their minds that most effectively limit their abilities."