In today’s competitive environment, the pressure on young athletes can be immense, impacting their performance, well-being, and overall development.
On July 31, 2024, McLean Hospital hosted Student Athlete Mental Health: A Game Plan. 1000 participants attended the course from around the globe.
The course, which was offered live and is now available to stream free online, was designed for coaches, parents, educators, and others who work with student athletes.
In two separate presentations, mental health experts addressed common mental health concerns of student athletes, including stress, anxiety, depression, and performance-related pressures.
Audience members had the opportunity to ask questions during each session.
“Growing up is challenging enough for our young people, but the competitive elements that sports bring into the mix, make it that much more difficult for teens and college students to stay mentally healthy,” said Scott J. O’Brien, director of Education Outreach at McLean.
“We know that there is a gap between understanding the importance of mental well-being and being able to see and recognize warning signs, especially in young athletes who may be masking emotions or problematic behaviors. We want to provide a forum for coaches, parents, educators, and health care professionals to focus on how we, as supportive adults, can help these student athletes succeed—on the field and off.”
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Mental Health Playbook
In part one, David J. Alperovitz, PsyD, and Suzanne Potts, LMSW, MPH, described how young athletes face many expectations and often navigate specific challenges.
The experts outlined how student athletes may experience sleep deprivation, nutrition concerns, and injuries and explained how members of this group are especially susceptible to OCD and eating disorders.
Alperovitz explained how a young athlete’s focus on sports can increase the risk of developing anxiety and stress. “When there isn’t much other balance in the athlete’s life, it can be enormously difficult,” he said.
Potts explained why eating disorders pose a risk to student athletes. “There’s a fine line [for athletes] between maintaining your body and stepping into an eating disorder,” she said.
“Sometimes sports-related activities serve as masks for disordered eating or evolve into obsessive, compulsive, or anxious behaviors.”
The speakers provided the audience with warning signs to watch for, including behavioral changes, sleep and appetite disruptions, and impaired relationships.
They urged the audience to build a strong foundation of mental health for young athletes by promoting a culture of openness.
Strengthening Minds and Bodies
In part two of the course, experts expanded on the concept of openness and support. Abigail Stark, PhD, and Cali Werner, LCSW, described how a young athlete’s community can help build resilience and trust.
Stark emphasized that by building trusting relationships with young athletes, educators, coaches, and parents can foster the skills needed to manage pressures and expectations.
She explained how such resilience involves a growth mindset. “It’s the ability to see challenges as an opportunity for growth and to emphasize effort over final outcomes,” she said.
She added that self-awareness and cognitive flexibility (the ability to see a situation from different perspectives) are important components of this outlook.
Werner offered her perspective as a clinician as well as an athlete who competed in high school and college sports.
She shared with the audience that her definition of resilience has changed over the past decade.
“In the past, I would have said resilience is when you ruffle no feathers, cause no problems, and put your head down and get things done,” Werner stated.
“Today, I would say, no, the resilient athlete is the one who is utilizing resources, who is recognizing they’re going to make mistakes along the way, and that those mistakes are what help them learn. [The resilient athlete is one who] has walked through challenges and has still learned to take that next step, regardless of the fear that those challenges have created.”
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