The pressure of being a student athlete can be overwhelming, and difficult to talk. Don't be afraid to seek counseling and therapy opportunities.
Injuries, concussions, overtraining, sleep disorders, and anxiety are just a few other factors that also impact athletes engaged in high school sports and mental health issues that can arise.
Injuries, concussions, overtraining, sleep disorders, and anxiety are just a few other factors that also impact athletes engaged in high school sports and mental health issues that can arise.
Helping Student Athletes with Mental Health
It's important to recognize symptoms of mental health distress to help students in need.
Studies show that the stigma is the most important perceived barrier to seeking help when it comes to student-athlete mental health. Other barriers were a lack of mental health literacy and negative past experiences of help-seeking.
The friends, other athletes, parents and coaches can help overcome these barriers and support prioritizing mental health by following these helpful tips:
Studies show that the stigma is the most important perceived barrier to seeking help when it comes to student-athlete mental health. Other barriers were a lack of mental health literacy and negative past experiences of help-seeking.
The friends, other athletes, parents and coaches can help overcome these barriers and support prioritizing mental health by following these helpful tips:
- Spend time outside of training to be or get in attunement with the athlete. If you’re only focused on training for high school sports and mental health and relational connection take a backseat, you’ll lose valuable insights into your athletes day-to-day needs, feelings, and challenges. Building that connection will help in getting them to open up when they need to do so.
- Talk openly about issues and encourage them to educate themselves. If you’ve had experience with mental health issues, tell the athlete about it — show them that it’s normal. In sharing your experiences, you’ll start to educate them, and can encourage them to continue doing so.
- Be conscious of language and the treatment of others. Words matter, and if the vocabulary you use is charged with words that negatively speak to mental health conditions, you’ll perpetuate the stigma. Instead of ‘crazy,’ say ‘wild.’ ‘Nuts’ can become ‘unbelievable.’ Show compassion to those experiencing mental health issues.
- Treat their mental wellbeing as equal to their physical wellbeing. Check-in on their mental state just as much as you inquire about their physical condition. Similar to how you’d want the young athlete to fully recover physically before getting back on the field, track, course, or court or back in the pool or gym, allow them the same time to recover from anxiety, stress, or trauma.
- Make it a priority for yourself and lead by example. Do your own work, so you can model a healthy approach to addressing mental health issues and emotional responses.
- Focus on the positives and empowerment that can come from mental wellness. Addressing student-athlete mental health means a teen or young adult is taking control of their life — that’s empowering and takes strength.
If you need assistance and more advice on this topic please reach out to Brittany!
