Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty recently opened up about his mental health issues. But on Wednesday, he said winning gold medals at the Olympics won't solve his problems.
"A good friend told me that a gold medal is the coldest thing you'll ever wear," Peaty told the BBC. "It's the coldest thing because you think it will solve all your problems. It won't do that."
Peeti, who still plans to compete in next year's Olympic Games in Paris, said his depression and alcohol problems worsened last year as he battled injury, motivation and a breakdown in his relationship with the mother of his young son. He was also diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
"I took a break because I was in this endless search for a gold medal or a world record and I looked to the future and I said, 'OK, I understand this is my life, so take the time now to really think about who you are, what you want from life and then get the gold medal. I hope that when I get to the Olympics I will be in a very good mindset, grateful and most importantly happy."
In April, Peaty took a break from sports when he said, "Everyone wants to be for you, but very few people understand what winning and success do to a person's mental health. They don't understand the pressures these successful people put on themselves to win over and over again.
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"As some people may know, I've struggled with my mental health over the last few years and I think it's worth being honest about that. I'm tired, I'm not myself and I don't enjoy the sport as much as I did for the last decade," the decorated swimmer said.
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