By Diane Herbst
Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history with 28 medals, has acknowledged that after the 2012 games, his longtime depression was so overwhelming he thought about killing himself.
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CLEAR ALL
When I retired from clinical practice several years ago, I let go into the unknown. I felt tentative, uncertain, yet knowing intuitively that I needed to heed the call.
For cancer patients, untreated depression can mean they stop taking prescriptions, skip their cancer treatment or start engaging in behaviors like smoking or overeating that can harm their health.
This case shows the danger of one asymptomatic condition in particular.
To stay healthy and fit, older people have traditionally been advised to take up gentle activities, such as walking and tai chi. But it’s time we added competitive sports to the mix.
We often confuse the effects of inactivity with the ageing process itself, and believe certain diseases are purely the result of getting older.
We may need to rethink what normal fitness is or should be in older people.