“Worst Phases of My Depression”: Lindsey Vonn Opened Up on Addiction With Attention Once

Lindsey Vonn has had some high-profile relationships in her life that drew a lot of media attention. In 2007, the Olympic champion married fellow skier Thomas Vonn, and they stayed together for four years before finally separating in 2011.

She began dating golfing legend Tiger Woods just a few months after starting divorce proceedings, which invited immense public scrutiny. But Vonn opened up about how difficult it was for her to cope with the divorce.

Lindsey Vonn opened up about her divorce

Featuring in the Red Bulletin, Lindsey Vonn shared details about her injuries, her regrets, and her low points in life. She mentioned she had a tough time during her divorce from Thomas Vonn. She became reliant on publicity.

“In the worst phases of my depression and the period before my divorce, I was almost addicted to people liking me,” she shared. However, with time, she learned to let go of that reliance. “But the more I feel confident in myself, the less it matters to me what other people think about me.”

She shared that it became something of an addiction for her. “There were times when I was addicted to attention,” she continued. Thomas Vonn was enormous support for the 20-time crystal globe winner, providing tips on the course and tending to logistics so that Vonn could focus on skiing her best.

READ MORE: “He Apologized”- Despite Missing Lindsey Vonn’s Wedding, Father Alan Kildow Stood by Her During Personal Life Crisis

However, her former U.S. Olympic skier husband was nearly nine years older than her, which became a subject of conflict between Vonn and her father, Alan Kildow. When she got divorced, she reached out to her father for help, and they reconnected after years of estrangement.

The aftermath of the divorce was uplifting

While Lindsey Vonn was going through her divorce, she had one of the best seasons in ski racing history. She won her fourth Overall World Cup Title, scored her second career ‘hat trick’, and bumped up her tally of World Cup wins to 50.

Vonn explained that was largely because of her using the sport as a way to cope with problems in her personal life. “I was using ski racing as an escape. Ski racing is the place that I can go [to], and I cannot think about anything else in the world. And so no matter what happens in my life, divorce, family, whatever it is, I can always go skiing and only be skiing. Be in the moment.”

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But with her father dictating her skiing style when she was younger to her husband taking that role after she got married, Vonn had a hard time skiing the way she wanted. She revealed that the divorce finally allowed her to build up her confidence. Now, she could engage in the sport on her terms. She reconciled with her father and worked on herself.