Simone Biles. Naomi Osaka. Michael Phelps. Serena Williams. in recent years, athlete The number of people who publicly voiced their mental health struggles has grown exponentially.
according to systematic review Regarding the mental health of elite athletes, high-level athletes are at significantly higher risk of common psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances compared with the general population. study expose commonly believed concept Athletes are better protected from mental illness.
sports psychiatry is a new and relatively unexplored area. A sports psychologist’s job is to treat and prevent mental disorders in athletes through sports medicine and a variety of other techniques in order to improve the athlete’s physical and mental performance. The use of sports psychologists is common at the elite level and is growing in popularity at the college level, with young athletes competing at the high school level.
“I don’t think many athletes will reach out when they need emotional help because they are looked down upon. Geffen Academy national soccer team. “It is so important that it should be talked about more in the sports community … These days, more athletes are talking about mental health issues. I think it’s essential.”
according to the study was announced in Sports Medicine – open, the goal of sports medicine is to target the “diverse needs of athletes” and detect mental health symptoms early. Sports medicine focuses on the mental and physical health needs of athletes, emphasizing how both aspects of health are equally important to an athlete’s overall health and performance excellence. increase.
Thiagarajan led his team to victory in February’s CIF Division 7 Championship Game.In addition to his school team, he santa monica surf A club football team that increases its weekly training time.
“Physically, I feel better than I ever have in my life,” Chiagarajan said. “But mentally it can be very draining and extremely stressful. At some point in my playing career, I started questioning whether all the training was worth it.”
Freshman Claudia Grove decided to homeschool her in sixth grade to prioritize her tennis schedule. Almost every weekend she is out of state for a few hours a day for tournaments and practices. One of her goals in sports psychiatry is to reduce an athlete’s performance anxiety, increase her mental toughness, and solve problems that hinder an athlete’s performance.
“When you play tennis, you face many challenges. I have gone through many mental struggles that have caused me to feel really alone. I think there are,” Grove said. “I just started with a sports psychologist because sports can be mentally tough at times. I think it’s very beneficial for people because it helps provide a better way to help people play and perform better, both mentally and physically.”
Chris Rodriguez, former Division I tennis player California State University, Northridgenow head tennis coach Calabasas high school women’s tennis team. She said she learned an important lesson playing tennis in college. Rodriguez talked about fears common to many athletes. It’s about appearing weak to family, peers, and coaches. She said this fear makes athletes more likely to downplay mental health issues than the general public.
“Tennis is about what life can be and if you miss a point or something in your life goes wrong, you have to focus and all that matters is the present and the moment.” You’re trying to play,’ Rodriguez said. I still feel that I have become an individual, and I see that in my daily life now.”
Rodriguez personally understands the struggle most athletes go through with the challenges of balancing mental health and academics with exercise. It emphasizes the need to focus on enjoying the small moments.
Archer Sr. Vaughan Anoa’i recently committed to playing Division I volleyball. Georgetown UniversityShe has played volleyball for the Archer varsity team for four years and sunshine volleyball club 3 years. Anoaye practices her four to five days a week with the team, in addition to lifting at the gym. She comes home from her practice around 9pm and does her schoolwork until 11:30pm.
“Often, I think we assume that a structured, set schedule should be easier to follow. “It can be very difficult to maintain,” Anoa’i said. It can be hard to convince yourself, ‘Okay, let me take a break.'”
Through personal experience, Anoay agrees with Rodriguez that perfectionism in sports has a “toxic side” and that being a perfectionist shouldn’t be “totally celebrated.” .
“Perfectionism can be masked as depression and intertwined with depression,” Anoa’i said. That’s what I’m working for.”
Thea Leimone Sr. is an Archer student-athlete who barnard college at Columbia University. Raymone said the strain of swimming was “huge” and she’s still working on ways to maintain her physical and mental health.
“My schedule limits my sleep time, even when I get home and go straight to bed,” Raymone said. “So when she gets to school, sleep deprivation is a big factor, leaving her exhausted and constantly driven. Another struggle with fatigue for her is staying motivated.”
Archer’s current junior, Daisy Marmur, said she also struggles to balance academic and athletic responsibilities. Maccabi Pan-American gold medalist and Maccabi finalist. She notes that the results of her competitions are entirely subjective, so it’s easy for her to fixate on shortcomings in her routine and lose her confidence in her own abilities.
“I think celebrating small wins and improvements is the big lesson I had to learn,” said Marmour. “Being in a very competitive sport, you have to find reasons to be happy with yourself. If you are not happy with yourself, no one will make you happy.” .”
As the demand for sports psychologists grows, so does the need for newer and more research in this field. Anoa’i said the current mental health crisis in the student-athlete and professional athlete populations requires further investigation and a call to action.
“Often, athletes try to put on a persona of being unbreakable. “But in recent years, as people have realized that the norm is not realistic or healthy for everyone, regardless of age.” , the situation is changing: sports psychologists are needed for all athletes, not just college athletes.”
