In light of recent news about Simone Biles stepping away from the Olympics competition, I thought I'd make a comment on the issue of emotional and mental health. Before I go into any commentary, let me say upfront that I'm not an expert and I'm only relying on my experience, having had issues with this in the recent past.
First, I commend Simone for being able to recognize it for what it was. It's considerable easy to recognize a physical health problem when it turns up, but the unseen problems are a lot more difficult to recognize. I didn't realize what I'd experienced until I was out of the situation that was causing it, though as I think back now, there were plenty of warning signs even years prior. It's not something that happens suddenly. It often sneaks in subtly until the situation gets to be too stressful.
The cause:
The seed of mental and emotional health issues in many cases seems to be stress and pressure. What those are differs in each person's situation. It may come from a lofty goal, demanding society and/or religious and family expectations, overwhelming work load, and interpersonal difficulties. More can be listed, but I'll spare you.
The process:
Stress in itself isn't unusual. We all face it; however, when it enters the level that it becomes a danger to mental and emotional health, it becomes detrimental to well-being. It's a sneaky thing. The more pressure and stress, the more vulnerability to have chronic stress, and believe me that's not fun. Nothing seems to relieve you from the pressure, not a night's sleep (if you're lucky enough to get to sleep), not a weekend, not a holiday, and not even a vacation. Nothing works. It's not difficult to sum up just from that how much that affects the body, which in turn affects everything else, including mental and emotional functioning. I would say Simone caught herself before she experienced the "flip switch" mode.
"Flip switch" mode:
I describe this as a flip switch, because that's how it happened for me. It took years of building stress to reach that point. Some people might compare it to a bursting balloon, but since I'm more of an imploder than an exploder, I use this image. The stress reaches to a certain point of discomfort that like a light switch, all of it is switched off, and it's done. No more pestering. No more demands. No more games. No more. I'm done. Following that is a time period of numbness or apathy. This proves detrimental in decision making and follow-through. In fact, there may even be an erratic and/or irrational response immediately following the flip. It's a lot like the I give up mood. This is the danger that someone faces when the mental and emotional health is not addressed, particularly for those who are prone to literally threaten their own life.
After having had a taste of mental and emotional struggles, I've come to understand a little better the plight of people whose health in this department isn't well. As the physical problems can affect the mind, so can the mental and emotional. Sometimes unwise decisions are made, and sometimes thoughts aren't as clear as they should be. It's literally a battle on all ends: physical, mental; emotional; and spiritual. It's a serious concern as real as anything else; therefore, I commend Simeone for catching it and treating it before letting it take take its toll on her. It's not a fun thing to experience.
