Former biathlete Michael Rösch has spoken publicly about his depression for the first time. He be “broken inside” – despite and because of his Olympic gold.
“The Olympic victory was public. The hardest battle took place in silence. Mentally I was dead at times,” said the 42-year-old to the German Press Agency. After becoming Olympic champion in the relay in Turin in February 2006 at the age of just 22, he was considered the new face of German biathlon.
Until 2009, Rösch won three World Cup bronze medals in the relay, as well as two World Cup victories and further podium finishes. In terms of sport, however, he was unable to meet the high expectations. There were also financial problems.
Was broken inside
In 2009, the Saxon experienced his first low point in Pokljuka. “I walked out of the stadium with a garbage bag over my shoulder – I was broken inside,” Rösch said in the joint podcast with Christian Akber-Sade “Nacksch – from Olympic victory to depression”, with which he wants to encourage other sufferers.
Recently, many athletes have come forward about their mental problems. For the Sports show documentary “The Burden of the Games”, presenter Esther Sedlaczek spoke to dressage rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, among others about the phenomenon of post-Olympic depression.
Vegetated there for months
Rösch lost his World Cup place in 2009 and missed the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. He did not seek psychological help because he long believed that mental problems were a personal failure. “Those who seek help were considered unstable,” said Rösch. The fact that this has changed in recent years is a great step forward.
In the 2011/12 season, despite fulfilling the World Cup standard, he missed the home World Cup in Ruhpolding, and even before that he experienced moments of panic. Based on his manager’s idea, he then decided to move to Belgium and give up his civil service status with the federal police. But because the change dragged on until January 2014, he had it for the first time in January 2013 “Approach of suicidal ideation”.
In 2015, after being diagnosed with glandular fever and a ruptured Achilles tendon, an operation occurred just a few days after surgery “life-threatening situation. The months that followed were vegetative,” said Rösch.
Fog turns into blue sky
It was only after his career ended in 2019 and an emotional breakdown that he went to the emergency room for the first time in May 2019. After the diagnosis, medication and over 50 therapy sessions followed. “It was like a fog – and suddenly there was blue sky”said Rösch.
He had to learn to live with vulnerability. Even now, setbacks cannot be ruled out. “Therapy is not a completed process,” said Rösch. His advice to other sufferers: “Seek help!“
Help contacts
If you are in an acute crisis, please contact your treating doctor or psychotherapist, the nearest psychiatric clinic or the emergency doctor on 112. You can reach the telephone counseling service around the clock and free of charge on 0800-111 0 111 or 0800-111 0 222.
