Kick out the blues
It is normal if after a week, the 2018 World Cup Russia is still playing in your mind, but it may still be good to take action.
ONLY 1,583 days to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Has that been your only happy thought since France lifted the World Cup in Moscow last week? Are you hearing “Allez” and “Goal!” during your office meetings?
Does the sight of your TV remote control get you shivering, shaking and even tearing up?
If your answer is “Yes” to all the above, it means you, like million others around the world, are experiencing withdrawal symptoms after eating, sleeping and breathing football for more than a month.
But don’t sweat it – Malaysian Mental Health Association president Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj assures that the feeling of emptiness and lack of purpose after such a big event is normal.
“Big life events bring a lot of excitement. The World Cup involves excitement, anticipation and an overwhelming rush and euphoria but when the event is over it can also cause a crash in emotions and bring about a kind of sadness akin to grief when something is lost,” he explains.
Grief does not only occur when sad things happen in our lives but it also occurs in the aftermath of happy things – when suddenly there is an emotional vacuum adjusting to the sudden absence of euphoria, he points out.
“People who dedicated time and enjoyed camaraderie during the football season may feel lost and empty after it’s all over. Diehard fans of teams that unexpectedly lost may particularly feel disappointed and dejected, but just like the process of grief, it is usually time limited,” he adds.
Just like handling grief, people can overcome this by reminiscing the excitement and talking about the particular features of the matches to find strength in each other, he advises. “Like grief, slowly the focus will move on to another game or another sport and before you know it, there will be another World Cup to look forward to.”
Dr Mohanraj, however, cautions relatives and friends of football fans who have a history of depression to keep an eye on them.
World Cup 2018 has definitely been a dream tournament for many with its thrilling unpredictability, but for someone who might be really struggling with depression, the shock defeat for their beloved team could be disproportionately upsetting, he warns.
“Some hero-worshippers may become so disappointed with their hero’s performance that they identify their sorrow with that of the losing player, team or country and can also became selfdestructive or suicidal.”
Then there are those who might just be waking up to the reality of how the shock losses have hit their wallets.
According to bookies, they made tens of millions of ringgit in winnings when football giants Germany, Spain, Brazil and Argentina, among others, were kicked out of the tournament.
“People who have bet heavily and lost may suffer from other consequences. Some might develop depression and it not unusual to feel hopeless and become suicidal. There have been such reports in the past of suicides after major sports events,” Dr Mohanraj cautions. “The important thing is to show care and concern to that person; be with him at all times (if suicidal) and get professional help.”
Clinical psychologist Alex Lui An Lieh cautions that the health effects
of the World Cup might only manifest weeks after the end of the tournament.
“Our body responds to stress very much the same way, regardless of whether the source of stress is real or perceived. In this case, the fans’ team’s loss becomes their own loss. The cumulative emotional stress from the loss combined with the exhaustion from watching games and lack of sleep can add to the stress and depression.”
Richard Keegan, assistant professor in Sport and Exercise Psychology at University of Canberra, agrees that while it would be unusual for the end of the tournament to trigger depression, for someone who is suffering from it, this might be viewed as another negative and uncontrollable event.
“For those individuals, the support of qualified professionals – which might include medicines, exercise and individualised talking therapy – should be helpful in building (or regaining) a sense of control and optimism.”
Others who are feeling a “slight sense of loss” to the end of the World Cup may be missing something “so engaging and fun” that has ended and will not be happening again for four years, he notes.
Still, he warns, if you experience severe symptoms of the blues after the completion of such events – more than two weeks and affecting work or family life – it would be worthwhile seeking a little support from a qualified mental health practitioner.
However, Keegan feels the time difference that had wreaked havoc to many a body clock on this side of the globe, may well be our saviour now.
“While the evening TV slot (8pm and 10pm) that the World Cup filled might make it sorely missed over here in Asia and Australia – we don’t normally have to ‘fill’ our time between 2am to 6am!”
Liu assures that the feeling of emptiness and lack of purpose should subside soon.
“My advice to sufferers is just to get back to their everyday schedule, finish all the work that has been neglected, and get enough rest to make up for the lack of sleep,” he says.
But it is important for football fans to remind themselves that there is more to life than football, adds Lui.
What footies need to do to beat the blues is to draw the same satisfaction and happiness they enjoyed during the World Cup from other sports events, Keegan suggests.
“As the ‘showcase’ event, the World Cup is probably intended to draw in new audiences for the local leagues and tournaments.
“If you were really enjoying it then it served its purpose and sparked an interest! You should follow up and engage with your local events, both as a spectator or consumer and perhaps also as a participant.”
Sometimes, he adds, it might not be the event that you are missing but the camaraderie or “bonding at the water cooler” it provides.
“Once we have fulfilled our daily requirements for food, water and safety, relatedness is the next ‘need’ to be fulfilled.
“Sporting events such as World Cups and Olympics give us something to talk about ‘at the water cooler’, as well as offering a connection to a wider group – a sense of belonging.”
So, even if the final whistle has been blown in Moscow, Keegan feels there is no reason for us to end our newfound “friendships”.
“If you made good connections with people as a result of the World Cup you might want to see if they’re interested in attending local events together, or perhaps participating together as players or coaches.”
Christi-an Slomak, spokesperson for meditation app Calm.com, proposes meditation and exploration of self and mind.
“For anyone mourning the end of the World Cup – or even still trying to get over the defeat of their national team – it’s important to remember that sadness is a natural reaction.
“Mindfulness invites us to feel sadness when it arises so that we can meet it with awareness and compassion. When we are aware of how something is impacting us, we can respond with the kind of selfcare that we need. Perhaps that means slowing down, connecting with a good friend, or going for a walk in the woods,” she advises.
Dean of HELP University’s Psychology Department Dr Goh Chee Leeon’s sage advice to footies is to just go out there and grab life by the (foot)balls.
“Go and actually play football. Stop just being a spectator. Go and live the thrill.”
And if you find yourself with two left feet, don’t despair.
As Dr Goh notes: “The new premier league season begins in a few weeks. So, the supply of football never really ends.”