And when prescribing medicine, he said, student-athletes and doctors have to keep in mind how the drugs might affect athletic performance and whether they might be monitored or banned by the NCAA or anti-doping agencies.ĭemands on student-athletes’ time and the expectations they face often mean there’s not much chance of a break, said Chris Bader, the assistant athletic director for mental health and performance at the University of Arkansas. Young Gymnast Doing Handstand on Balance Beam - stock photo Getty ImagesĪ student-athlete’s struggles with mental health can also have consequences for their physical health, Norman said.įor instance, anxiety disorders can increase student-athletes’ muscle tension or their tendency to be distracted, impact their sleep and performance, as well as increase the risk of physical injury, Norman said. “These things can also present in athletics when folks are exposed to a very severe injury or witness a life-threatening (injury) or death of a teammate in extreme sports, for example,” he said. After an injury, student-athletes might display hypervigilance, an “aversion” to certain movements or situations that might remind them of the “traumatic event” – all symptoms that can emerge as they work through physical therapy, he said. Josh Norman, an attending psychiatrist at Ohio State University’s Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute. But complicating student-athletes’ mental health challenges are the demands on them and their bodies – and it’s not only anxiety or depression.įor one, student-athletes’ injuries present a risk of post-traumatic stress, said Dr. Of course, athletes are people, too, and as with any segment of the population, some struggle with mental health. Among the participating male athletes, that figure was about 25%, the survey showed. Still, the pressures student-athletes struggle with are distinct from their non-athlete peers, experts told CNN, while presenting distinct challenges for doctors and others who work with them to overcome mental hurdles.ĭemands on student-athletes create particular challengesĪ 2019 NCAA survey found about 30% of participating female student-athletes felt “difficulties were piling up so high” in the month prior that they “very often” or “fairly often” felt they could not overcome them. And university-level programs increasingly have made it a priority to hire psychologists and others attuned to athletes’ mindset to support students who also came to college for sports. On top of all of that, a stigma persists in the sports world around mental health – discussing it, seeking treatment and, perhaps in doing so, revealing what could be perceived as a weakness, the experts said.Īt the same time, participating in sports has huge benefits for many student-athletes’ well-being, they noted, and also can help them cope with mental health problems. But they also face pressure to perform on the field or on the court, demanding practice and workout schedules, traveling and – for those with high profiles – scrutiny from the public and fans on social and in traditional media. Student-athletes live with the same demands as regular college students, like maintaining their grades and social lives and staying connected with their families. Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos/Getty Images Katie Meyer of the Stanford Cardinal plays against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Avaya Stadium on December 8, 2019, in San Jose, California. And the hurdles student-athletes face can be just as stressful, said the experts who talked with CNN, even as none spoke directly about Meyer’s death – the reasons for which aren’t known. “This surprises some people, who see these tough, physically flawless humans and wonder how they could be depressed, anxious, or suicidal.”Īthletes’ mental health has been a growing topic of conversation among elite professionals, like gymnast Simone Biles, tennis star Naomi Osaka, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and NBA forward Kevin Love. Claudia Reardon, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin, told CNN in an email. “Collegiate athletes are just as susceptible, if not more so, to most mental health disorders,” Dr. Stanford University star soccer player died by suicide, parents tell NBC (Lyndsay Radnedge/Stanford Athletics via AP) Lyndsay Radnedge/AP On Tuesday, the university confirmed it was Meyer, a senior international relations major. Stanford first announced the death of a student at one of its residence halls on Monday, Feb. Meyer, who memorably led the Cardinal to victory in the 2019 NCAA College Cup championship game, had died. In a photo provided by Stanford Athletics, Stanford goalkeeper Katie Meyer shakes hands with teammates before a game against Cal State Northridge on Aug.
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