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 Dr. Sean Mullen [@drseanmullen](/creator/twitter/drseanmullen) on x 32.2K followers
Created: 2025-07-23 17:20:29 UTC
Why are elite athletes, who train relentlessly for physical and mental edge, so quick to ignore a virus that literally destroys both?
SARS-CoV-2 impairs cognition. Damages the heart. Destroys mitochondria. Shrinks gray matter.
So why the denial?
Let’s talk psychology. 🧵
(1)The Invincibility Illusion
Athletes are conditioned to believe their body is built different. Admitting vulnerability feels like admitting weakness—and threatens their core identity.
(2) Optimism Bias
They’ve seen teammates bounce back (or so they think). The brain says, “It won’t happen to me.”
(3) Toxic Team Culture
Wearing a mask = being “soft”
Refusing to play sick = letting the team down
Risking long-term damage = loyalty
(4) Short-Term Thinking
The next match, meet, contract. That’s the horizon. Long-term neurodegeneration? Not on the radar.
(5) Pandemic Fatigue & Learned Helplessness
After 4+ years with no structural support, many gave up. Resigned to infection. “Everyone’s getting it anyway.”
(6) Career Pressure
Sponsors, coaches, media—all expect compliance. Athletes who speak up risk losing everything they’ve worked for.
(7) Cognitive Dissonance
They know the data. But they live unmasked. So they resolve the conflict by minimizing the risk. Or blaming others.
🧠💔 Meanwhile, COVID continues to rob athletes of what matters most:
•Split-second reaction time
•Mental stamina
•Cardiovascular power
•Coordination
•Judgment
•Days of healthy training & competition/ career years
A virus that eats away at your edge is not just a health issue—it’s a performance issue.
You don’t have to get sick to be tough.
You don’t have to sacrifice your brain to be elite.
Clean air is performance enhancement.
Masking is mental conditioning.
Avoiding reinfection is recovery.
The greatest athletes don’t just train harder.
They train smarter.
XXXXXX engagements
**Related Topics**
[illusion](/topic/illusion)
[Post Link](https://x.com/drseanmullen/status/1948070726939901961)
[GUEST ACCESS MODE: Data is scrambled or limited to provide examples. Make requests using your API key to unlock full data. Check https://lunarcrush.ai/auth for authentication information.]
Dr. Sean Mullen @drseanmullen on x 32.2K followers
Created: 2025-07-23 17:20:29 UTC
Why are elite athletes, who train relentlessly for physical and mental edge, so quick to ignore a virus that literally destroys both?
SARS-CoV-2 impairs cognition. Damages the heart. Destroys mitochondria. Shrinks gray matter.
So why the denial?
Let’s talk psychology. 🧵
(1)The Invincibility Illusion Athletes are conditioned to believe their body is built different. Admitting vulnerability feels like admitting weakness—and threatens their core identity. (2) Optimism Bias They’ve seen teammates bounce back (or so they think). The brain says, “It won’t happen to me.” (3) Toxic Team Culture Wearing a mask = being “soft” Refusing to play sick = letting the team down Risking long-term damage = loyalty (4) Short-Term Thinking The next match, meet, contract. That’s the horizon. Long-term neurodegeneration? Not on the radar. (5) Pandemic Fatigue & Learned Helplessness After 4+ years with no structural support, many gave up. Resigned to infection. “Everyone’s getting it anyway.” (6) Career Pressure Sponsors, coaches, media—all expect compliance. Athletes who speak up risk losing everything they’ve worked for. (7) Cognitive Dissonance They know the data. But they live unmasked. So they resolve the conflict by minimizing the risk. Or blaming others.
🧠💔 Meanwhile, COVID continues to rob athletes of what matters most: •Split-second reaction time •Mental stamina •Cardiovascular power •Coordination •Judgment •Days of healthy training & competition/ career years
A virus that eats away at your edge is not just a health issue—it’s a performance issue.
You don’t have to get sick to be tough. You don’t have to sacrifice your brain to be elite. Clean air is performance enhancement. Masking is mental conditioning. Avoiding reinfection is recovery. The greatest athletes don’t just train harder. They train smarter.
XXXXXX engagements
Related Topics illusion