Over spring break, I read Professional Skier Lindsey Vonn’s book: Rise. I had purchased it a while back just because I’ve found her to be an interesting person, but I was totally taken by how open and candid she was about her challenges with depression and recovery from both physical and psychological trauma related to the injuries she has sustained. Lindsey describes deciding at age 9 that she wanted to make the US Olympic Team. And since the Olympics only occur every 4 years, she knew exactly which Olympics she was shooting for.
Throughout the book, Lindsey takes you on a riveting ride through her professional and personal ups and downs. How as a very young person she was in a world where she had to try to establish friendships with people who were also competitors. How she traveled all over the country competing until eventually her entire family made the move to Colorado from Minnesota so she could be in the best position to be successful skiing. When she finally won her first Olympic Gold Medal she reports that she felt like she could finally ski for herself as she had finally fulfilled the goal her family had sacrificed so much for.
Anyone who has experienced depression can relate to Lindsey’s story – how somedays it was hard to get out of bed, how lonely she felt in hotel rooms, how social isolation was damaging to her mental health and kept her from establishing fulfilling friendships. How she married early and divorced after only four years and how she suffered and came back from many injuries and surgeries. Within her story are many threads I hear my clients struggle with. How to access social support and trust others during hard times. How to know when to leave a relationship and be kind to yourself about decisions you made as a young person. How to know when it is time to retire and shift your focus.
Most powerful to me was how Lindsey discussed her decisions to take medication for her depression and to seek psychotherapy. She also highlights the incredible support she received from her physical therapists and medical team. She is open. From a public figure, especially a sports champion, these are powerful messages. Seek help. Find the right health partners. Utilize your family support. Have self-compassion. Thank you, Lindsey for sharing your story.
The book that I am currently reading does not have such an encouraging ending. In Blood Beneath the Skin by Andrew Wilson, the life of fashion designer Alexander McQueen is examined. McQueen died at 40 by suicide. He created exquisite, edgy, and thought-provoking fashion. He ended his life the day before his mother’s funeral. His life was one of great creativity and great tragedy. McQueen was sexually abused by his brother-in-law, bullied in school, and grew up with a father who had a psychiatric hospitalization at the time of McQueen’s birth. McQueen was also challenged with substance abuse. When he died, he was memorialized at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and left behind a 20 million dollar fashion empire. He ended his own life.
When I was completing my doctoral dissertation, a statistic I came across that stuck with me was that suicide completions were highest in the month of April. As we head into this first full month of spring in 2023, I hope that you’ll extend some care and kindness to yourself and others. Life can be hard even if on the surface it looks like we have it all together. If you or someone else needs it, the suicide hotline number is 988.
Take good care.