When Aly Raisman was competing on the world stage as an Olympic gold-medal winning gymnast, practicing and working out as much as seven hours a day, finding balance was difficult.
“For most of my life, gymnastics was really a priority for me,” Raisman, 28, the third most decorated American gymnast of all time who led the gold medal-winning women’s gymnastics teams to victory as captain in 2012 and 2016, tells PEOPLE. But Raisman, who retired from the sport since 2020, “realized more recently that I hadn’t really been prioritizing my personal life. And so that’s really been a focus for me lately.”
Slowing down, taking time to read in the morning instead of sleeping until the last minute, and doing gentler exercises such as Pilates have helped the Boston native find the balance she needs, which in turn help her deal with her anxiety and depression, she says.
“I’m also realizing as I’m getting older that I’m definitely becoming someone who needs more alone time,” she says. “I’m learning to prioritize that, which includes spending time with my dog, Mylo, who I’m just so in love with. I miss him right now as I’m in New York and he’s home.”
Raisman spoke to PEOPLE Wednesday when she was honored with the 2022 Hope Award for Depression Advocacy at the Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s annual luncheon, for her work as a longtime mental health advocate who has spoken openly about her anxiety, depression and PTSD.In 2017, Raisman was one of the dozens of gymnasts who came forward and accused U.S. gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. Later that year, he pleaded guilty to numerous charges of criminal sexual conduct and in 2018, was sentenced to 175 years in prison.
Past recipients of the Hope Award include Michael Phelps, LeAnn Rimes, Anderson Cooper, Brooke Shields, Ashley Judd, Ali Wentworth and Mariel Hemingway.’
As someone dealing with anxiety and depression herself, “I know so many people around the world are struggling and fighting their own battles,” she says. “So I just know how common it is.”Raisman, who says she regularly goes to therapy to work on her mental health, also knows how hard it can be to speak up about it.
“I’m just really grateful for the support and I know that not everyone has the platform and receives the support that I have, so I definitely don’t take that lightly,” she says. While she is glad more people are talking about mental health, she says there’s much more work to do.”We’re not even close to where I think we should be as a society,” she says. “There are so many people that don’t feel supported or heard, and when they do speak up, they’re gaslit or just not supported.”That can really prevent people from having the courage to speak up again or ask for help.”
That’s one of the reasons the Hope for Depression Research Foundation hosts the HOPE Luncheon Seminar each year, where top psychiatrists and neuroscientists educate the audience about the latest updates in science and the research the foundation has funded.
Raisman said she was honored to receive the award to help bring more attention to mental health issues. Her own journey is a work in progress, she points out, and when she’s having a tough day, she tells herself it won’t always be that way.
“I remind myself that this day is going to pass,” she says. “I think that I’ve let go of this idea of one day I’m going to just feel happy all the time. I am learning to accept that life is a rollercoaster.”And in those moments when I do feel happier, I feel I appreciate them so much more.
