ATHLETES AND MENTAL HEALTH
Raising Awareness and Advocating for Increased Resources and Access to Mental Health Assistance.
ABOUT SHERCARES
In recent years, there has been an increased rate of suicide and mental health concerns among student athletes. Depression and anxiety rates continue to rise, yet there continues to be a stigma when it comes to addressing mental health issues. An athlete’s mental health should be prioritized and taken seriously.
SherCares strives to raise awareness of this ongoing crisis by providing student athletes the resources and information that may not always be available.
For many athletes, the competition, or the win, is the driving force behind their involvement in a sport. With this comes the desire to do well for not only themselves, but others (observers, coaches, parents...). They may avoid addressing their mental health needs to continue participating. Athletes are viewed as being strong, often even invincible. Because of this, there continues to be a stigma that may discourage athletes from asking for help when they are overwhelmed or feeling as though their mental health is suffering. Athletes need to know that taking a “mental break” is acceptable and often even necessary to perform at their best. Athletes need to feel as though they are supported and that their mental health SHOULD be a priority.
The importance of a athlete's mental health needs to be addressed and placed above and BEYOND THE COMPETITION.
Mental Health Can Affect Athletic Performance
Often an athlete’s mental state can result in an impaired performance that can lead to increased anxiety, distraction or even injury during a sport performance. The competitive nature of sports may provide additional pressure that can lead to a change in an athletes state of mind. Mental health issues and mental exhaustion can have consequences that affect how they perform. It is important that athletes learn ways to manage their mental health.
What Can I Do?
STATISTICS
- Athletes suffering from anxiety: 30% (women) 25% (men). (John Hopkins, September 2022)
- Student athletes seeking a mental health professional: 10%. (John Hopkins, September 2022)
- Highschool and college athletes that suffer from depression: 15% - 21% . (Achieve Concierge, July 2020)
- Adolescents with some form of anxiety: Estimated 31.9%.
(National Federation of High schools (NFHS), Feb. 2019)
- Elite athletes struggling with eating disorders, burnout, depression or anxiety. 35% (College of Sports Medicine, February 2022)
- Student self reported balance between academics and extracurriculars: 56% (men) and 47% (women). (NCAA Well Being Study, May 2022)
RESOURCES
For a list of mental health resources (many specific to student athletes),
please see drop down menu above.
Link to National Suicide Hotline below. 24/7 help is available.
MERCHANDISE (coming soon)
$0.00
SherCares will periodically raise money to contribute to the purchase of merchandise distributed as a way to raise awareness of mental health, sponsor and/or funding of events that further our cause, and support organizations that are also advocating for awareness of mental health.
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