Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix Shares Her Mental Health Journey « Costa Spain News

With all of the unbelievable medal-winning athletes on this 12 months’s Olympic Video games, chances are you’ll marvel why I’m writing a couple of swimmer who has completed sixth within the 10m platform.

This brave teenager has simply confirmed that profitable isn’t the whole lot and that realizing that she is alive with a supportive household round her is all that she wants proper now.  As she bravely revealed in her heartfelt interview, “Three years in the past, I didn’t need to be alive, so in the present day I’m simply pleased that I’m alive, I’m respiratory, and I’ve bought my household to assist me.”

She went on to precise, “As you say, it wasn’t meant to be. I’m not making an attempt to be macho or something, and I’m not upset with my efficiency.”

Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix grateful for psychological well being and being alive

At simply 19 years outdated, Andrea has been on arguably one of the crucial difficult journeys of her life and but, within the eyes of defeat, she exhibits such humility and gratitude for what most of us so simply take as a right.

Her journey started when she was scouted to dive on the tender age of eight, having displayed abilities each as a swimmer and a gymnast.  As a baby, she beloved diving and skilled a rush of adrenaline from competing and studying new dives.  Her want was at all times to enhance and she or he was motivated to present it her all.

That grit, dedication, and, in fact, talent took her all the way in which to the Tokyo Olympics 2020, which truly passed off in 2021 on account of COVID-19. At the moment, she was nonetheless solely 16, and who can think about the thrill and nervousness she will need to have felt representing her nation?

Tokyo 2020 had a detrimental impact on Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix psychological well being

Nonetheless, some years later, Andrea admitted that she felt very alone and remoted in Tokyo. She was lacking her household and had simply completed her GCSEs. The stress ranges had been unprecedented, and even the diving facet had misplaced its attraction. Not with the ability to socialise additional exacerbated this, and all of it turned extremely overwhelming.

Even with all of this to deal with, she in a short time turned a fan favorite and her diving took her all the way in which to the finals of the 10m platform.  Whereas she didn’t win a medal, she did reach ending seventh total.

Getting back from Tokyo 2020, she had little or no day without work and so didn’t really feel like she had rested, mentally.  In consequence, she discovered her love of diving had left her, and she or he had reached the purpose the place she hated coaching.  Her occupation had grow to be one thing she felt compelled to do slightly than a selection.

Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix places her psychological well being first

Realising that one thing wanted to alter, Andrea switched coaches in a bid to get better her relationship with diving.  As she shared, “I made the choice to alter coach as a result of it was both I modified my surroundings or I stop utterly. I thought of quitting. I spoke a lot about hating the game. However I couldn’t get myself to truly stop. So I began to rebuild my relationship with diving.”

Fortunately, having come to phrases together with her degenerating psychological well being, Andrea was capable of overcome her psychological blocks due to her supportive household, her religion and her church. She has come a really good distance from being that troubled younger lady who didn’t need to be alive and provides these phrases of knowledge, “We needs to be impressed by different individuals slightly than degrade ourselves subsequent to them. We should always ask, “Can I be taught from them?””

Effectively you will have actually impressed me Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix.

If you end up struggling along with your psychological well being or wellbeing, Samaritans in Spain can be found on FREEPHONE 900 525 100 daily between 10am and 10pm (till midnight throughout August trial extension interval).