“Being able to work on the trauma is a blessing” - Simone Biles opens up on her mental well-being amidst gymnastics comeback
After going through a period of mental care, Simone Biles made headlines for announcing her return to gymnastics recently. In 2021, the gymnast opened up on her mental health struggles that held her from performing at the final moment of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
However, two years after the big moment, Biles is now back. As the gymnast has begun training, she revealed how she was handling her mental well-being after returning to the sport.
Simone Biles is one of the most decorated Olympics gymnasts. The seven-time Olympic medallist gymnast also boasts 25 world championship titles. At a very early stage in her career, she was honored as the Team USA Female Olympic Athlete of the Year in 2015, making her the fourth gymnast to receive the title. Nevertheless, Biles is also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden in 2022.
Returning to the sport after taking a mental health break was a crucial decision for Simone Biles. Although the gymnast is back to the sport, she still is working on her mental well-being. Recently, during a Q&A session on her social media, a fan asked her about how she was taking care of herself after her comeback.
“Lots of therapy, I go once a week for almost 2 hours. I’ve had so much trauma, so being able to work on some of the trauma & work on healing is a blessing,” Biles explained the mental care that she is still undertaking.
Even after achieving massive titles and mentions throughout her career, Biles’s mind was not in the right place during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She suffered from “twisties," a sudden loss of space during the championship. Realizing that she needed a break from the constant competition pressure she announce her break. She had revealed that years of constant training and the mindset to stand out in championships had kept her away from her emotional health.
However, upon taking a break from her professional career, Simone Biles concentrated on her personal life for the past two years. She spent ample time with her family and also got married to the love of her life, Jonathan Owens in May 2023.
Simone Biles had a tough childhood
Although Simone Biles has set up a beautiful life for herself through hard work, she did not have an easy childhood. The gymnast’s biological mother, Shannon Biles was heavily involved in drug addiction that made her incompetent in taking care of her children.
Simone Biles was three when she and her siblings were admitted to foster care. Sadly, the gymnast also experienced tough times at the new place. However, putting an end to her misery, Biles’s grandfather, Ronald Biles decided to adopt the children. The gymnast was six when she got adopted by her grandfather who became a father figure for her for the rest of her life.