As a teenager, figure skater Gracie Gold won two US National titles and an Olympic bronze medal. But then depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder forced her to withdraw from competition and seek treatment.

In this interview, Gracie talks about the pitfalls of pursuing Olympic glory, and how the same qualities that made her an elite athlete also made it hard to spot red flags. “I will just keep going in a way that's admirable until it's destructive,” she says. After a life-threatening mental health crisis in 2017, Gold learned to reject toxic positivity and take a more balanced approach to life. As for her goal of competing in the 2022 Olympics, she says, “This time it's not the fear of failure driving me. It's the pursuit of excellence.”

From the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games, to social isolation and anxiety, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on elite athletes’ mental health. A recent HBO documentary film, “The Weight of Gold,” spotlights those struggles and features interviews with Gracie Gold, Michael Phelps, Lolo Jones, and other Olympians.

Links: 

• "The Weight of Gold" (HBO Sports Documentary) 
• Behavioral Health at Mount Sinai
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Crisis Text Line
• The National Alliance On Mental Illness

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Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.