Mental Health in Sports

“Everyone is going through something that we can’t see. Mental health is an invisible thing, but it touches all of us at some point or another. It’s part of life.” – Cleveland Cavaliers Star, Kevin Love.

It’s a touchy issue, isn’t it? When we talk about our own mental health but imagine making a bad play in front of millions of people. The pressure is truly unimaginable. Fans often take things for granted but most of the time, we truly forget that athletes are people too.

When looking at the facts, approximately 46.6 million people, (about twice the population of New York), are living with mental illness in the US. That’s 1 in 5 adults have lived with bad mental health at a point in their lives, and I’m one of them.

It’s a pressing matter as I have done everything to overcome but the real result is hopeless sometimes. It’s important to remember that it’s not always bad, tough times make tougher people.

But even the most fit people in the entire world are still depressed - Among professional athletes, data shows that up to 35% of elite athletes suffer from a mental health crisis which may manifest as stress, eating disorders, burnout, or depression and anxiety, according to AthletesforHope.com.

We’re inspired by athletes such as Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps, Cleveland Cavaliers star player, Kevin Love and those who are telling their stories and inspiring others to seek help to support the cause.

The feeling of lost like we saw after Kobe Bryant died, the games continued on as if nothing happened. The players were crying and absolutely heartbroken. A league, that’s so player first, chose money over players.

It was hard to watch – a lot of the players were inspired by Kobe Bryant. Death of a loved one is one of the most dramatic experiences ever. You have to grieve and many couldn’t, it was just play basketball after hearing one of the worst news of your life.

While it may seem scary to talk about death and depression, there are tons of small steps you can use to help your mental health. Talk to your family, teammates, or support staff; someone you feel comfortable being able to share what’s going on.

Make an appointment with a therapist or trusted medical professional to help you find sources of stress and manage your symptoms such as meditation through yoga, listening to music, or even a five minute walk.

Talking about and dealing with mental health can be tough. However, If we work together to bring mental health into our regular conversation, we can open the door to creating real change.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has having thoughts of suicide, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988) supplies 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress. Thank you for reading & have a blessed day.

(Ariana’s notes 8/7: If we can incorporate things about Brittney, how shes made a statement about how she is feeling during this time. Mention how the w/espn has responded to her from feb up until now.)