Mental Health Issues In Sports Research Paper

The negative impact mental health has had on student-athletes is a continuous problem across the globe and has been a topic of interest in the research world for many years. The stigma behind mental health have lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety, reluctance to seek help, the sense of helplessness and loneliness and many more. In a student-athlete, these stress levels are brought upon the individual for multiple reasons. For example, student-athletes have to accomplish a certain degree of success both on the playing field and in the classroom (A.P. , Deitrick, J.M. , & Reynolds, E. (2016). Maintaining a required average and playing time can become not only physically but mentally exhausting. This literature review will discuss the barriers and facilitators to mental health in student-athletes and how the stigmatization of those student-athletes who suffer from a mental illness have an impact on their everyday life.

What many people fail to see in an athlete is the amount of talent in them, the commitment they have, the intense training they go through, and the competitive attitude they posses. The physical challenges they face and endure is astonishing. An average person works eight hours a day behind a desk with his computer. Imagine working the same number of hours everyday while training your abilities, maintaining your physical form, and sharpening your skills (Anonymous par. 4). That is what a professional athlete endures. Athletes face short career lengths. They also face a lot of competitiveness; therefore, an athlete is at the top of his game when he is still young. Professional athletes also face the risk of career ending injuries when they are fighting to win a game and be the best they can. Combining all those problems they face, the average career length of an athlete is five years (Keown par. 2). Not only do these athletes need to stay in shape, but they also have to perform well. But all the hard works leads to health issues such as lack of sleep, fatigue, and continuous tension (Wilson par.3). If they are not able to put up to the

The beneficial aspects of participating in sports are often noted but there is another side that cannot be ignored. Mental health issues among elite athletes is a topic of increasing interest and public awareness. Sport-related factors such as injury, overtraining and failure in competition are showing to influence the prevalence of mental health issues in elite athletes. Whatever the cause or reason mental health issues and concerns cannot be ignored. High performance athletes need to be provided with mental health support, despite the negative stigma of mental health issues and the concept of mental toughness in athletes. In the past, there has been a “widespread assumption has existed within the sporting world that only emotionally and mentally strong athletes are able to complete at the highest levels. Psychological disorders, such as depression, were thought to infrequently occur among elite athletes” (Hammond et al, 2013, pg.276) There may actually be an increased risk for mental health issues in athletes as they are less likely to; seek treatment, reveal symptoms, are more accustomed to work through pain, fear of showing signs of weakness and may not have developed healthy coping mechanisms to deal with failure. In addition, many athletes have not developed their identity outside of being an athlete and therefore if this role is threatened by injury or illness, they may experience a significant sense of loss. Treating a psychological ailment in athletes should be given as much importance as treating a physical

Because of these factors student athletes can be at a higher risk of anxiety and depression.

Death sentences, or even handicap for life, the reality of sports is they can lead to outcomes of all kinds. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is the outcome of many hits to the head, as concussions.. It affects the body by limiting the body movement to just the eyes. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy become the result of an extra gene, but also could be caused by concussions, or head trauma. The diagnosis of these diseases have been seen in young athletes, due to the constant head trauma. Sports have made it a big thing to comprehend and to be aware of as well. Concussions are the main cause of the diseases because of the repetitive hits the brain is taking to the skull. Sports have a variety of wins, but the intensities of the game are not worth the win with the life threatening plays.

Youth sports are an incredibly healthy way for kids to grow and release energy. Children in preschool can begin to take part in sports like dance and soccer, and as they grow older, the lists of sports gets longer. However, there are negatives of sports that are often not talked about by parents, coaches, schools, or the media. As a result, stigmatization occurs, leaving children struggling with sports to suffer alone. With youth sports, elevated levels of stress occur, and as a consequence, mental health can decline. Youth sports can have an adverse psychological effect on young athletes and it is an effect that can be damaging for children for their entire lives.

Many studies have been done to find the benefits of athletics in high school students in years past, but a more significant topic presently is the effect that it has on suicide prevention. Being a part of a team gives social connections to students that they can lean on for anything they might need. Whether it be for physical or emotional needs. Both teammates and coaches give moral support to each other during both in and out of season. (Benefits of Sports) For ages 10-24 and 12-18, suicide is the second preeminent cause of death in adolescents. (Youth Suicide) A study was done by a group of people to analyze the correlation between athletic participation and suicidal tendencies. The data used is based on the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey,

In America, people are so concerned for the mental health of their football players, that other sports, like hockey, go unchecked in the mental health department. The idea that one physical sport is more dangerous than another is not something that people should humor. Every physical activity has a level of danger. Ignoring the possibility of injury in one sport while bringing to light injuries of another is misleading and causes a lack of concern in the sport that is being hidden. The sports organizations involved should not be ignoring the issues, sweeping the concern of others away as if shooing at a fly. Something needs to be done about the ignorance of the people. Something needs to be started so that both sports have the chance to make their games safer and better for every single person that decides to follow their dreams of playing in either the NFL or NHL.

Before exploring the health of an athlete its important to understand what mental health is. Mental health is characterised by emotional wellbeing and resilience to stress (ClearingHouseForSport Australian Government Ralph Richards 9th June 2016). Mentally healthy individuals are able to cope with daily stresses and fully participate in family, work and in this case sport activities. A mental disorder is a diagnosable illness that affects a persons thinking, emotional state and behaviour and disrupts his/her ability to carry out normal daily activities and maintain personal relationships. Exercise has many benefits, not only for physical health but also your mental health as well. In the brain, exercise stimulates chemicals that improve an

As athletes become immersed in the sporting world, they are more prone to mental health related concerns as pressure and stress begin to build. Rigorous training, pressures to perform, media attention and large sums of money at risk all add to the damaging effects of stress on one’s mind. Dr. Barry Cripps, a chairman of sports and exercise within the British Psychological Society was noted saying, "Stress-related illnesses are extremely common in professional sports, and they are becoming more so as the pressures on athlete’s increase. The expectations are enormous and sometimes people cannot handle it" (Bran, 2012). Athletes are expected to perform to the best of their abilities and beyond and the pressures of these expectation often lead

For High Performance athletes, there can be a lot riding on their results and performance in competition. If athletes develop an over-reliance on sporting success as a source of self-worth and identity, it can lead to serious emotional issues if things do not go as desired. Athletes often identify their self-worth with their ability to perform, and performance failure has been significantly associated with depression (Taylor, 2015 pg.11; Troijan, 2016, pg. 137) Athletes face many struggles and when something goes wrong it can leave them not knowing where to turn for help. They can be left with they feelings that they are nothing, undeserving, and alone. This may also exacerbate their feelings of seclusion, depression, or grief. Most athletes

Playing sports is a great way to help with mental health. When students don't have the option of playing sports it can lead to, “...too much screen time and not enough hands on activity,” (“Play is Important”). Many studies have recently exhibited citing the risk of excessive screen time for developing brains, everything from socialization, concentration, speech and writing skills can all be studied. The US Department of Health and Human Services estimates that children in America spend a gargantuan amount of time looking at electronic devices, approximately seven hours a day. If sports were no longer available for children to participate in, the average amount of hours spent on electronics would be increased. Other statistics reveal that kids the age of two regularly play iPad games and have toys in their bedroom that involve touch screens. Getting out the house is a good way to stay healthy and “...Exercise can help reduce depression and anxiety,”(Carson Barrett, “How Does Playing Sports Affect Your Health?”). For many kids in middle school, the need to have perfect grades causes many of them to have anxiety. Many families have younger children that have to deal with deaths and having to deal with a loss can be a main trigger to depression. If those kids were taken away from the opportunity to play sports, the anxiety and depression would most likely increase. Sleep is a big factor of mental health; and being active by participating in sports can increase the amount of sleep children get. Sports “...do this by helping you fall asleep faster and deepening your sleep,”(Kathryn Watson, “The Top 7 Mental Benefits of Sports”). When children come home from a sport, most of the time, their exhausted which would lead to a more reparative sleep, allowing the brain and muscles to rehabilitate more thoroughly. Getting a good amount of sleep can improve your mental outlook and mood the

The ability for high school sports to give athletes a break from the classroom allows them to clear their minds. Students have the chance to forget about the things that may be bothering them as well as allowing them to have fun for a bit. Research shows that the movement of the brain’s physiology has an effect on the way that a person does things throughout their life. In fact, a study shows that people who have been physically activity or have participated in sports when they were younger are happier because they have been releasing endorphins which releases stress. Stress is the leading cause of depression in the United States and by exercising, the rate of stress in which a person has can be lowered. High school sports does not just benefit a person's mental health but also a person's physical health.

There are many benefits of playing football some of them is that it helps with one’s mental health in many ways. Another reason is that it helps with one’s work ethic, and the final reason is that it helps one stay in shape and physically fit.

Teens who participate in team sports are happier, have increased self-esteem, and are less anxious, with a decreased risk of suicidal behavior. Student athletes who are surrounded by