Winter Olympic Games 2026: Abhinav Bindra To Mikaela Shiffrin, Rising Cases Of Depression Among Athletes Explained

The lights of Milano Cortina 2026 have dimmed, the medals have been collected, and the world has moved on to the next sporting event. But for the top performers on ice and snow, and even those athletes performing in summer games, the silence that follows the roar of the crowd is often deafening. According to a study published in Journal of Athletic Training in 2023, "athletes are susceptible to mental health symptoms and disorders because they are human and because of the risk factors imposed by sport... Moreover, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance use disorders among athletes are associated with early attrition from sport,a higher risk of injuries, negative effects on sports performance,burnout, and lower levels of academic and occupational functioning. Importantly, aspects of the crisis are unique and concerning in the world of sport. Physicians, other licensed mental health professionals, athletic trainers, coaches, and other members of the athlete entourage witness this painful reality every day in their offices and on the playing fields."

This is not just an American crisis or limited to the Olympic Games, summer or winter. Take Ilia Malinin, the "Quad God" who redefined human physics on ice. Despite his historic contributions to Team USA's gold, his individual eighth-place finish left him feeling like the person who arrived in Italy had 'turned into dust'. Then there is the legendary Mikaela Shiffrin, who, despite her gold, spoke candidly about being a 'ball of stress' and the 'vulnerability to erroneous judgment' that comes with the Olympic stage. On the Indian side, Abhinav Bindra has always been open about his struggles with depression.

When stars of this magnitude admit to 'fighting invisible battles', it's time to stop looking at athletes as entertainment robots and start seeing the human cost of the podium.

The Science Of The 'Crash'

Depression isn't just about losing; ironically, it often hits gold medallists the hardest. For four years, an athlete's brain is flooded with dopamine and adrenaline, all focused on a single 60-second window. When that window closes, the biological 'neurochemical withdrawal' is a real phenomenon.

The loss of identity is the secondary blow. When you have spent your entire life being "The Skier" or "The Skater", what are you on the Monday morning after the closing ceremony?

This void is where depression seeps in. It's a phenomenon that the world has seen before in legends like Michael Phelps, who confessed to spiralling after every game, and Simone Biles, whose "twisties" in Tokyo sparked a global reckoning.

Even Naomi Osaka and Shaun White have pulled back the curtain on the anxiety that lingers long after the cameras are packed away.

Also Read: Cutting Down On TV Time Can Reduce Depression Risk By Nearly 40%, Finds New Study

Why This Matters For India

While the Winter Games may feel distant to many in India, the 2008 occurrence comes to mind. India's first individual gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, wrote extensively about "the void" following the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

The narrative of "performance pressure" resonates deeply. According to recent research by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), mental disorders are now a leading cause of non-fatal disease burden in India, with depression and anxiety affecting nearly 45 million and 44 million Indians, respectively.

The ICMR's "India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative" highlights a crucial trend: that depression is no longer just an "urban struggle". The pressure to achieve, whether in competitive exams or corporate ladders, mirrors the Olympic pressure cooker.

For a country that is increasingly "young and fit", people in India are becoming ironically more vulnerable. The ICMR data suggests that the treatment gap for depression in India is a staggering 79%, meaning that for every athlete or student speaking out, hundreds are suffering in silence, which society still struggles to break.

Also Read: Chronic Bipolar Disorder Struggle: What Lizzie McGuire Star Robert Carradine's Death Says About The High-Functioning Mental Illness

The Road To Recovery

The 2026 Games might be remembered as the year the "Mental Health Zone" became as important as the 'Olympic Village'. Athletes are now being encouraged to 'decompress' rather than disappear. Here are some ways that the necessary decompression can be done:

• Pre-emptive Counselling: Shiffrin and Malinin have both championed the idea that a sports psychologist is just as vital as a physical therapist.
• The Power of 'No': Following in the footsteps of Simone Biles, more athletes are choosing "self-preservation" over a "medal-at-all-costs" mindset.
• Community Support: Malinin credited unexpected calls from Tom Brady and Snoop Dogg as his lifeline, proving that even 'Gods' need a village.

Whether you are Ilia Malinin attempting a quadruple axel or a student in Kota facing a mock test, the message from Milano Cortina is clear that your worth is not defined by your last performance. It's okay to step off the pedestal and just be human for a while.

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