Rachael ‘Raygun' Gunn reveals struggle with anxiety after Olympic break-dancing went viral

West Australian

4 days ago

Australian breakdancer Rachael 'Raygun' Gunn has spoken out about the deep impact the viral reaction to her Olympic performance had on her mental health.
Gunn, 37, revealed she was already dealing with anxiety before the Olympics, but the global backlash after her routine made things much worse. She described feeling 'paralysed' and 'panicky' if her husband wasn't nearby.
Opening up to
News Corp
, Gunn said getting off social media, support from loved ones, and regular psychologist appointments helped her cope.
Gunn, who recently performed with Richard Branson on a Virgin Voyages cruise after her Olympic routine went viral, shared that she began taking anti-anxiety medication about six months before Paris due to the pressure of being the first Australian woman to qualify for Olympic break-dancing.
'The Olympics is such a huge event and there's so much pressure on you, regardless of your chances,' she said.
'My journey with anxiety started before the big day when everything changed, but because I'd already had that experience with it and a bit of a support structure in place it meant I was able to get through that whirlwind of an adventure and the wild ride a bit easier.'
The months after the Olympics were especially tough. Gunn described feeling 'paralysed' and 'frozen' at times.
'I was just kind of stuck and paralysed until either Sammy (husband Samuel Free) came back or we found some friends or something,' she said.
'For a long time I generally felt out of my body, if that makes sense, like the whole world was different.
'I would have a good cry probably every couple of weeks because I felt so numb the rest of the time, like I couldn't be angry, I couldn't be upset, I was just trying to process everything that was happening.
'Then I would have a good cry and I would feel a bit better for a while.
'It's still hard, to be honest, I still have bad days.'
She's now slowly regaining her confidence to break-dance again.
'I used to practise on the street four nights a week, I still haven't got the confidence to do that but I am able to break at home with Sammy and a friend and build from there,' she said.
'Now I'm actually starting to enjoy it again and it's nice to be able to dance with no pressure and work on some moves.'
Gunn continues to work at Macquarie University, marking essays and helping with teaching.
'I'm working on some stuff behind the scenes … you certainly haven't seen the last of me,' she said.
She also shared her new hobby of knitting, calling her project 'my mental health scarf.'
'This is my mental health scarf,' she said, holding it up.
'It's the most ridiculous thing, it's so long, but it was because I was so restless watching TV or whatever, it helped me do something with my hands and keep them busy because I feel like I get a lot of anxiety.
'It's just for me, so who cares, it will be ready in winter 2027 … it's nice to do something that has no pressure and you can just keep working on it and feel a sense of accomplishment.
'This is the stuff you have to explore when you're struggling with your mental health.'
On returning to Australia, Gunn found comfort in 1980s Aerobics Oz Style videos on YouTube to help her exercise.
'When I came back to Sydney, I could barely leave the house, so I wasn't about to go to a gym or join a class so I looked on YouTube a lot for some workout videos,' she said.
'I did pilates and I've been doing yoga for years and I actually got into the old 80s Oz-Style Aerobics which were on YouTube.
'They're fun, they're good, they're easy.'