People expect things to be tough for the athletes – the men and women who’ve sacrificed EVERYTHING in their pursuit of victory. There are so many of them, and so few medals to go around.

Post Olympics,  athletes DO have it rough, probably rougher than anyone can ever know. But at least they have the benefit of access to dedicated, experienced coaches and supporters to help them work through the roller coaster of recovery.

But what about all of the fans out there? How are they supposed to make it through the withdrawals?

While Post Olympic Stress is understandably harder on the athletes involved, it’s not exactly a cake walk for the ardent spectators left with no one and nothing else to cheer!

Now, neither of us were Psych majors, but we’ve made a MAJOR investment in our sport, in Olympic performance and keeping our own “fan clubs” happy.

We spend time on the message boards, forums and blog out there. We know what’s on everyone’s mind.

The NFL? Big deal!

Democratic or Republican National Conventions? Sure, they’ll catch a few minutes here and there, but what they really want is more swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball or whatever sport they happen to be addicted to at the moment.

Fortunately, the same message boards and forums they’re posting on have suddenly become unofficial support groups for the hundreds of thousands of hardcore fans feeling the pinch of Post Olympic Stress.

Apparently, they’re finding strength in numbers!

Who else can understand the all pervading need to see the Olympic action one last time? Who else can hash out the replays? Who else will weigh in on “bad calls” and the “could haves” and “should haves”?

And the Syndrome isn’t just constrained to America – it’s a worldwide epidemic that’s touching every continent.

During the Sydney Olympics, Australia’s Channel 7 created a Today Tonight program in the works to help athletes and their fans cope with post Olympic stress related problems.

More than that, though, the network also kept viewers calm by airing a number of different post-Olympic follow up programs to help ease everyone into post-Olympic “regular” programming.

But Australians had another trick up their sleeves. Fans weren’t finished with the Olympic bug just yet… Instead of “settling” for replays, they found a new fix: the Paralympics.

Tickets were sold in record numbers as fans look for new ways to milk the dream a little longer.

Perhaps we’ll see something similar happen here in Rio in 2016

Rhadi Ferguson (http://www.DrRhadiFerguson.com) is a 2004 Olympian and has coached many World Class Athletes and Olympians, he has seen and experience the effects of Post Olympic Depression and the Post Olympic Blues first hand. He knows what it looks like, how to handle it and what measures need have to be put in place in order to minimize its effect on athletes. He has written a book on Post Olympic Depression with 2-Time Olympian Taraje Williams-Murray. If you are interested in getting an inside scoop on what really goes on in the minds of Olympians after the Olympics please check out….

The Olympian’s Success Paradox: When The Games Are Over, Managing Post Olympic Stress Syndrome In Olympic Athletes

Dedicated to your improvement,

Dr. Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian