Adam Peaty, a British swimmer won a silver medal in the Paris Olympics 2024. He was diagnosed with ADHD and struggled with alcohol abuse. English competitive swimmer Adam George Peaty specialises in breaststroke and is also an eight-time World Champion, a sixteen-time European Champion and a four-time Commonwealth Champion.
In April 2023, peaty withdrew from the British swimming championships. He revealed that he was struggling with his Mental health. He suffered from depression, and alcohol abuse, and had been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
Peaty got married to his girlfriend and they got blessed with a son in April 2020, but in April 2022 he announced separation. He is currently in a relationship with Gordon Ramsay’s daughter Holly Ramsay.
In an interview with The Times in 2023 said “The physical preparation goes on so my body will be ready to fight again when my heart and mind have caught up. I’ll be ready when I need to be ready.” As he started preparing for the 2024 Olympics. He still loves his son and came to watch his father’s Game. Peaty shares his son’s reaction “He normally goes ‘Daddy, are you the fastest boy?’ And I would have said: ‘Not today’. But he just says: ‘I love you, Daddy.’ That’s what I care about.”
He acknowledged the journey of his epic comeback, “It doesn’t matter what the time says on the board, I know that in my heart I’ve already won,”. He went on “I’m not crying because I’ve come second, I’m crying because it took so much to get here”.
Read More: Building a Strong Mind: Practical Steps for Enhancing Psychological Resilience
Adam’s resilience could be an inspiration and encouragement for other players to not bear the burden of mental health issues in silence. We all know how competitive sports exert pressure and create stress for players. Despite that, they perform their best on the field and proudly represent their country in games like the Olympics.
What is ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people’s behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.
What causes ADHD?
The accurate cause of ADHD is unknown, but the condition has been shown to run in families. It’s thought the genes you inherit from your parents are a significant factor in developing the condition. Research shows that siblings and parents of someone with ADHD are more likely to
have ADHD. However, the way ADHD is inherited is likely to be complex and is not thought to be related to a single genetic factor.
What are the symptoms of ADHD?
People with ADHD may experience:
- Inattention–facing difficulty paying attention.
- Hyperactivity–facing too much energy or moving and talking too much.
- Impulsivity–acting without thinking or having difficulty with self-control.
Boys are diagnosed with ADHD more often than girls. Girls are more likely to show only inattentiveness and are less likely to show disruptive behaviour which makes ADHD more obvious. This means girls who have ADHD may not be always diagnosed.
