'You really have to let go of the life you had': Steph Rice
Former Olympic swimming star Stephanie Rice says many professional athletes face a worrying crisis of identity when they retire.
The Australian triple Olympic gold medallist spoke to Channel 7's The Morning Show, where she elaborated on her own struggles since giving up her career in the pool.
"Everyone knew me as Stephanie Rice the swimmer so take away the 'swimmer' part and it's just 'who is Stephanie Rice?'" she said.
"Those were the confronting questions that I had to ask myself. It obviously requires some vulnerability to not always appear like you've got it together and I think as an athlete and a role model you think you have to have it all together."
Rice has come out in support of fellow Olympic champion Grant Hackett, whose own problems have been well documented.
"I obviously feel sorry for Grant because I went through a real struggle after I finished swimming," she said.
"Grant's bringing light to a real problem because of his profile but I think going through transition you really have to let go of the life you had before as an athlete and then move into a new life.
"That's really hard when all your achievements, self-worth, accolades have been based around something you were so good at that you no longer have."
Rice's comments followed a statement from Hackett saying he aims to seek help in Australia and overseas for mental health issues.
The triple Olympic gold medallist had been in hiding after he was arrested last Wednesday following a disturbance at his father's Gold Coast home.
The 36-year-old has thanked his family, in particular his parents, for their support through "the toughest week of my life".
"They have been amazing and have now stood by me through thick and thin - I can't say enough about them - I could not wish for better parents," Hackett said in a statement to AAP.
Rice says many athletes that experience problems are either searching for that high again or searching to find themselves after their career in sport ends.
"When you've experienced an Olympics and standing in front of your country, the highs of winning, being on a team and you take it all away, there's nothing I've experienced since that's had the intensity of that feeling again," she said.
The 28-year-old believes while there does need to be a better support network for retired stars, change needs to come from within.
"Having gone through it I can hopefully be a light. Doing that post on social media the other day I had so much positive traction and it felt so good to know that I was able to share and contribute to other people's mental wellness," Rice added.
"But I do think it’s a journey you have to go on internally and seek support systems around you."
Rice weighed into the discussion around Hackett last week with a heartfelt statement on social media about her own experiences.
"I was trying to find an appropriate picture to sum up my thoughts of today, but decided a quote was better," Rice wrote.
"Going through my transition after swimming was incredibly tough. It wasn't until about a year after finishing my athletic career when all the dust settled, and the realisation of no longer being 'current' and recognised for being the best at something set in.
"Achieving such high levels of success in sport brings about wonderful opportunities which are usually all based on external gratifications. So when you take away the vehicle in which you receive this recognition it definitely has a huge hit on your self-worth.
"I believe it's incredibly important to take the time to develop and work on your self from the inside out.
"Asking yourself the tough questions like, 'What is my purpose? What's my worth? What do I value?' can be confronting and make you feel vulnerable, but once you can look at those demons of insecurity head on and dig deep within yourself, it opens up a whole new world.
"Take the time to quieten your outside world and work on yourself. All the answers you seek can be found within.
"Learn to forgive yourself and trust that there are gems of wonderful opportunity that can only come from enduring and overcoming the hardest times.
"Sending love and light to you all and I truly hope this post gives you a small insight to some of the struggles that top level athletes may go through.
"Please be gentle on yourselves and on others, as you never really know what's going on inside someone's else's head."