It's just tough to 110% commit your life to a sport, perform/compete at a high level and then have it suddenly taken from you or (probably worse) dissolve away in agonizing slow motion. I can't tell you how many athletes I've known who (for various reasons) ended up on the outside looking in - no longer able to perform as they did. The reasons are endless: injury, aging, substance abuse, lack of $$$, losing the passion or simply losing the fine edge that seemed to always put them on top. Sadly, watched some internalize their decline and "disconnect" from the culture ( presumably because they felt "less than"). For others, they seemed to fall into a deep dark hole because they never really planned for what comes after their peak is over. It's like they felt their life was completely over.
My son competed in downhill MTB for a number of years. He started very young and we became pretty embedded in the culture. By his teens he was competing nationally. It was a very tough job for me as a parent to keep his race/life balance healthy. That is: education was always a priority. As was reality: made sure that he understood that "this can't last forever"; that he needed a "life plan". I mean, seriously, downhill MTB racing really takes it's toll. Plus, forget a future as a "Pro". The field is so broad, yet the sponsorship/purse $$$ is so limited. Anyway, amazingly, it worked. When he had to pull the plug on his racing he finished up in school and launched his career. He's doing fine now.
But I'll tell you, a number of his fellow competitors really didn't plan for "what comes after". They're in their late 20s (or even 30s) now and seemingly adrift. Some are truly having a very tough time coming to terms with life.
I'm a "senior" and have lost a number of friends/acquaintances/co-workers - a few to suicide. One friend comes to mind. None of us had any clue (I worked alongside her every day for years). There were no immediate signs. But, after the fact, the signs became apparent. One clearly stood out: she was an absolute perfectionist in just about every way. But there were seemingly minor things happening in her life that were outside her control that kept tormenting her because they upset her quest for perfection. Life tends to do that. But for her it was too much to bear.
The quest for perfectionism is a common trait in top athletes. They wrap their entire lives around that quest, focusing all their energy and desire on it. From my experience (and from my experiences with other athletes in this regard) the quest is filled with intervals of exhilaration and feelings of "living life to the fullest" (yes, and feeling like crap when you blow it). Yank that all away from a high-performing athlete and it's like you've ripped out their heart.