An interesting article in the Washington Post is raising some eyebrows in the sports world. Triathlons are grueling competitions involving swimming, bicycling, and running. Over 243,000 people competed in 2,500 of them just last year. Now, one participant has a warning about triathlon anxiety for anyone who has ever thought about signing up for these elite competitions.
David Brown, a physician and veteran triathlete, recently asserted that the deaths of eight people in the summer of 2011 could be related to panic attacks. He wrote in the Post that they are very common among people who compete in these races.
He contends that they are especially dangerous in the swimming phase of the event. He cites a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota who discovered that 13 out of 14 triathlon deaths from 2006 through 2008 occurred in the water.
With a large number of people (up to 50 or 60) in the water all at once, there is a fair amount of chaos. They collide into and over each other in a mad dash to the finish line, bumping and kicking fellow competitors in all parts of their bodies. Throw in the fact that they are wearing chest-constricting wetsuits and the potential for panic increases dramatically.
Brown himself has experienced panic attacks during his own events. He even describes a harrowing time that the fear completely took over his body:
Within a few minutes my heart was racing, I was breathing fast and I was scared to death, although I wasn’t exactly sure why.
I rolled onto my back to calm down and let the pack move on. As I sculled slowly, I looked to the shore. Two men were climbing out on all fours.
I think of that day each time I hear that someone has died in a triathlon.
An autopsy cannot generally determine whether or not a person suffered a panic attack right before death. They leave no trace. This makes it difficult for investigators to uncover scientific evidence of Brown’s allegations.
However, the triathlon industry has also seemingly not paid much attention to the prevalence or potential for panic attacks to cause these deaths.
Event promoters are now under pressure to address anxiety-related issues by informing athletes of the dangers of panic attacks during athletic competitions. David Brown in particular thinks that “the whole sport can probably do a better job of trying to prevent these rare and tragic deaths.”
Click here to watch a short video about the ROOT CAUSE of all anxiety.
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