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THE HELP SHOW NEWSLETTER: HOW COVID 19 AFFECTS SPORTS
MENTAL HEALTH PODCAST: HOW COVID 19 AFFECTS SPORTS Join us for our upcoming podcast
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Whether you're on the couch coaching your favorite athlete/team to victory or on the field competing for the win, sports play a significant role in our mental, physical, and social outlook. While on the sidelines, we may not feel the notable sense of athletic achievement, we can all relate to the toll and loss the Covid-19 pandemic has caused.
According to a study from Frontiers in Psychology, 52% of athletes surveyed expressed feelings of depression and struggled to keep themselves motivated to exercise. Furthermore, the same study highlighted female athletes to have higher levels of perceived stress and dysfunctional psychobiosocial states.
As you know, The Help Show mission is to connect families/individuals with community resources and provide education on mental health awareness with support from licensed professionals and specialists. This year’s series is highlighting mental health and sports because of the drastic effect Covid has had on athlete's form, from recreational sports to our elite players. So, click to subscribe to our newsletter today.
IMPORTANCE OF SPORTS
Research has proven sports increase mental health outcomes and improve overall physical wellbeing. They foster an attitude of confidence and nurture a structure of discipline and collaboration. Research links engagement in physical activity to positive health results.
STRUCTURE SPORTS PROVIDE
There are several reasons why sports serve as such a prominent outlet within our lives. It reduces stress and depression, aids in mental therapy for psychological disorders, supports a healthy heart, improves self-esteem, and lowers hypertension.
EMOTIONAL STATE
Athletes at all levels are expected to show up and perform as a top-tier competitor within any sport. The pandemic has had a noticeable effect on athletes’ mental and physical wellbeing. Data indications have resulted in startling results related to anxiety and depression. The uncertainty and interruption of routine presented a common trend of decline in motivation to exercise. The magnitude of the pandemic was experienced throughout the athletic community as they were faced with barriers such as access to facilities, financial hardships, AND PHYSICAL development.
TEAMWORK
As we know in sports, it's NOT ABOUT how you start, but more so how you finish. It takes a team initiative to solidify the victory whether the support is driven by your coach, family, or fans, it matters in the end. Let's take a deeper dive below into how we can best support the recovery of the athletic society as we navigate through the pandemic.
Engage in conversation and comprehension: it’s important to feel heard and be heard. Be open to talk, listen, and support your loved one. Rely on your supportive resources such as your coaches, trainers, or teammates to discuss your concerns.
· Encourage self-care: offer to help them stay active. Promote healthy eating habits and adequate amounts of sleep. Take time to decompress and relax.
· Consider seeking advice from a mental health professional: visit the resources provided to find someone who works for you. Many providers are offering the convenience and safety of teletherapy services.
· Address the stigma: sports culture’s encouragement of “mental toughness” is oftentimes a barrier to talking to athletes about mental health. One way to address the stigma around opening up is to encourage an athlete to see vulnerability and sensitivity as a strength. Be sensitive and empathetic to what they have to say, as a non-judgmental attitude will allow the person to feel respected and understood.
Join our upcoming virtual live podcast
Episode 101: On the Sideline” How Covid –19 Affects Sports
Wednesday, March 31st at 6:30pm Central
Wednesday, March 31st at 6:30pm Central How can you help support the mental health of loved ones affected by the pandemic within the athletic community? Let the experts in our podcast guide you. Join the live podcast and add your name to many other responsible people who want to make a difference .
NiEtta Reynolds, MSW Founder of The Help Show
NiEtta will host our podcast to help us understand the significance of mental health in today's athletes, from recreational athletes to our elite athletics and their ability to perform. She will also talk about how Covid in the sports world has changed the way athletics view their health. This podcast aims to spread awareness regarding mental health and sports and how players can get the help they need when facing challenges in the after effects of Covid. NiEtta is passionate about educating the community on mental health issues, so she uses her platform to engage people from all walks of life in spreading mental health awareness.
Kimberly Alexander Cancer Activist
Kimberly is our podcast's special guest. She understands the significance of mental health in today's athletes; her late husband lost his life from complications to multiple myeloma in 2010. Since that time, Kimberly has devoted her life to spreading cancer awareness and fundraising for cancer research while serving as a resource for cancer patients and their caregivers. Alexander was featured on Dateline NBC with Tom Brokaw, where she discussed her life as a cancer caregiver. She's also the narrator of an award-winning health video titled "Multiple Myeloma in the African American Community."
Trillion Small, Ph.D., LMFTCounselor. Mental Performance Coach. Speaker. Author
Dr. Trillion Small will be our podcast's special guest for this episode. As a woman of many accolades and ventures, Dr. Small serves as a MentalHealth Performance Coach for the Dallas Jackals Professional Rugby team. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling at Trevecca Nazarene University and has been a mental training coach and mental health counselor for eight years. In her relocation to Dallas in 2017, Dr.Small founded Attachment Leadership, which serves as the umbrella for her mental health counseling practice and business psychology consulting. Additionally, she is the author of six books and the founder of her book publishing company, They Speak Publishing. Dr. Small is well-versed in servicing distinguished personnel from the locker room to the boardroom.
In Case You Missed It
Our last podcast: Cancer Caregiver
In our last podcast, we discussed cancer caregivers' critical roles in a person's life and why this national health care issue is gaining recognition. Also, how caregivers can protect their mental health. Furthermore, our podcast's guest Kimberly Alexsander explains her own experience of being a caregiver and losing her late husband, NFL linebacker Elijah Alexsander to multiple myeloma. Contact us at www.TheHelpShow.org.
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