Mental Health in Sports deserves more Attention
Mental Health in Sports has never been a very popular subject to address. Somehow talking about uneasy feelings or acknowledging anxiety never vibed well with the images of heroism and success that Sports likes to represent. It is interesting that Mental Health is linked to ‘being weak’ more often than it is to ‘being brave’.
Due to professional Athletes who started to advocate for more openness about Mental Health, things are slowly changing. The perception that Athletes should be tough and unbreakable has started to crumble. And that is a good sign!
as someone else's problem"
Mental health in sports deserves more attention
This is what I am battling
In the first week of January 2023, this statement by Patrick McCaffery, a redshirt junior on the IOWA Men’s Basketball team caught my attention.
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) January 3, 2023
PATRICK McCAFFERY STATEMENT
“I have been battling anxiety for a while, and recently it has peaked, which has inhibited my preparation and performance on the court. It’s not fair to myself or teammates to be on the court when I am not myself. The anxiety has affected my sleep, appetite, and stamina, which has resulted in not having the energy level necessary to compete at my full capabilities. My struggle with anxiety affects every aspect of my well-being and makes it incredibly difficult to function normally. This is what I am battling right now. For this reason, I am taking an indefinite leave to address my situation. It might be two games, it may be four games, it may be more, but I will return when I feel like myself. My leave of absence is not related to my past battle with cancer.”
In my opinion, Patrick McCaffery is an absolute hero for having the courage to speak out. For everyone else battling with anxiety, whether they play sports or not, this message reflects courage and hope. Choosing to take care of himself over all the demands playing Collegiate sports demands speaks volumes.
Mental health in sports deserves more attention
The first signs
In order to help you as an Athlete (or even a Coach) identify whether you struggle mentally, you need to know what signs to look for. Battling with anxiety is closely related to depression and is among Athletes a well known condition of Mental Health. Common signs that your Mental Health is affecting your sports performances can be fatigue, irregular sleeping patterns, lost of appetite, isolating yourself or feeling without energy.
Though it is difficult to admit and even harder to share, the solution to deal with Mental Health issues lies in admitting them. NBA player Kevin Love was very brave about sharing his lifelong battle with anxiety and depression. In 2018 he wrote a very touching article for the Player’s Tribune, called “Everyone is going through something”.
Love decided to write this very personal piece, after DeMar DeRozan, also playing in the NBA, opened up about his personal struggles with depression. What I found to be eye-opening was Kevin Love saying that he could have never guessed DeMar was dealing with the same kind of challenges as he had for years! It shows that anyone can be dealing with Mental Health, without us even realizing!
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Mental health in sports deserves more attention
The role of Coaches
I would like to refer back again to Patrick McCaffery’s story, regarding the role his Head Coach took on. Besides the fact that McCaffery is a very talented Basketball player he recruited for his team, he also happens to be his son.
In a very open and honest press conference the day after Patrick shared his news, Coach Fran McCaffery stated how his family, assistant coaches, teammates and the IOWA administration all played a very supportive role. As a Coach, he acknowledged how often people in general are programmed to just stay quiet instead of sharing it when we struggle. We tend to keep going and going and just act like nothing is going on.
For Patrick having chosen to share so openly what he is dealing with, can turn out to become very helpful not just for himself, but also for everyone recognizing him or herself in this story. The outpour of responses and messages on social media from Athletes but also a lot of parents who struggle trying to help their children with anxiety, was really heart felt.
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Mental health in sports deserves more attention
How to be there for a struggling teammate?
Since you have come this far probably means you are interested in Mental Health related to Sports. Maybe more specific, you know of an Athlete in your circle of friends or have a teammate who is struggling. Now I won’t suggest you can just step in the shoes of a Sports Psychologist. And you shouldn’t! What you can do is just really being there.
Show compassion first of all. Even a simple moment sharing that you notice he or she is having a tough time can be very helpful. In order for someone struggling with Mental Health to open up, there needs to be trust. If a teammate or friend chooses to share their story with you, let them feel it is okay to have those feelings. Be thoughtful and show you truly care. Compliment him or her by ackn0wledging how brave stepping out and sharing truly is! In the end, ask if there is something you can do for him or her.
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Mental health in sports deserves more attention
Use your platform
Many Athletes deal with anxiety and depression. In order to help them, taking the band aid of the stigma surrounding Mental Health is key. As Athletes, Coaches and Sports Parents we have a great platform through which we can support anyone dealing with anxiety or mental struggles.
to be on the court when I am not myself"
Be knowledgeable!
At some point in your career, you can be the one struggling yourself. If you have not, start with reading the article written by Kevin Love and Patrick McCaffery’s statement published above. Start following Athletes like Naomi Osaka, DeMar DeRozan, Simone Biles and Micheal Phelps on their social media. All of them have stepped up in becoming great advocates for Athletes and non-Athletes struggling with their mental Health.
And maybe most of all… Be a great and caring teammate. Show why it was in the first place you chose to play sports. Camaraderie and going through things together are key aspects why people team up. This is also true for Athletes who are active in individual sports. You are still part of a team with coaches and team mates. Be there for one another, in good and tough times!
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