Los Angeles, CA -- Olympic athletes like Michael Phelps and Paul Hamm now have gold medals but they soon may have something else -- a whopping case of "Post Medal Depression."

Rhonda Britten, a life coach on the NBC reality series "Starting Over," says it's common for athletes who experience a great win to also experience a great loss after they've achieved their goal and start wondering, "Who am I?"

For instance, Britten claims swimmer Natalie Coughlin had a look of "What am I going to do now?" during her medal ceremony and worries that the Olympic athletes aren't given the time to savor their achievements.

In her words, "Their life is not their own. It's being handled by others who may be more interested in what the athletes can provide rather than who they are as people."

Because many of the athletes winning medals could be prone to "Post Medal Depression," Britten recommends former Olympians contact the winners to discuss the issue because "...few people really understand what it takes to win a gold medal."

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