MENTAL HEALTH Psychological Health and Sport-Related Activities

Psychological Health and Sport-Related Activities

Written by Rebecca Zill, Psy.D. – Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Institute

Research has illustrated a connection between

individuals’ psychological health and their approach to, or performance in, sport-related activities. As sports are a societal microcosm for many, this process may be linked to cultural influences that can shape the mental and emotional well-being of today’s competitive athletes (National Collegiate Athletic Association, 2020). As a result, athletes are often tasked with navigating both intra- and interpersonal barriers regarding their participation in sports. This includes managing anticipatory pressure, executing responsibilities, and navigating the positive or negative consequences of performance. This necessarily highlights the importance of an open dialogue regarding the mental health of athletes. For many athletes, this may appear similar to the concept of “mental strength,” which Loehr (1995) defines as, “the ability to consistently perform toward the upper range of your talent and skill regardless of competitive circumstances.” Developing and maintaining this sense of mental strength can often be challenging and stressful, illustrating the broad importance of athlete mental health.

Behavioral health professionals work with athletes to optimize health, improve performance, and manage symptoms while operating within an interdisciplinary team. As such, these professionals are well positioned to support athlete mental health. Athletes may seek mental health services across a variety of settings, though, many educational settings have begun to employ these professionals in an effort to support coordinated care. While some athletes may resist seeking mental health support due to stigma or misunderstanding of the service, mental health support is non-invasive and driven more so by an athlete’s willingness for engagement, honesty, and self-exploration.

Athlete medical and substance-induced etiologies are typically ruled out as contributing factors. Then, individual psychological conceptualizations within a developmental, systemic, or environmental framework are developed. Common mental health concerns arising in athletes include, but are not limited to, anxiety, mood, abnormal eating or purging, body image, adjustment to recent stressors, or psychosomatic symptoms. Services should be individualized and

References

targeted to these specific symptom domains, with medication management and psychotherapy as the foremost treatment options. Mental health treatments are also culturally sensitive and flexible, so due diligence should be exercised to seek a quality fit between athlete and professional. Psychotherapy techniques used may include positive self-talk, imagery, goal setting, mindfulness, biofeedback, and modeling. Common treatment goals can include skills training, reduction of symptoms, behavioral activation, and generalization across settings.

As athletes, and society in general, are made increasingly aware of the benefits of mental health services, negative stigma may dissipate and make these valuable services feel more accessible to everyone. These services may one day become an essential feature

of the holistic support of athletes.

Loehr, J. E. (1995). The new toughness training for sports: Mental, emotional, physical conditioning from one of the world’s premier sports psychologists. Plume.

National Collegiate Athletic Association. (2020). Mind, body and sport: The psychiatrist perspective. Retrieved from http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/mind-body-and-sport-psychiatrist-perspective