The Mind of an Athlete: Overcoming Mental Health Challenges

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With the Olympics just coming around the corner, all eyes are on the national athletes across the globe; with each country hoping that their nation would bring home the gold. While the life of an athlete may seem exciting and adrenaline-packed, they face unique mental health issues that they have to overcome, in order to be on top of their game.

This article will dive into the mental health of an athlete, looking at their stressors and challenges, as well as sharing strategies on how they manage this stress.

Unique Mental Health Stressors that Athletes Face

Because of their lifestyle and career, professional athletes face challenges that the general public may not experience – or may not experience to the same extent. These unique stressors can affect their mental health, especially if not managed well.

Pressures to Win

We all face pressures from our bosses in the workplace – and athletes are no different. However, instead of a project being launched successfully if you’re a product manager or selling out a product if you’re a marketer, the pressure that athletes face for their jobs is to win the competition that they’re in.

This pressure can be more intense, depending on the level that the athlete is competing at; as well as their past record. For example: expecting a gold medalist to maintain their title, at the next competition.

Coping with Injuries

Physical health is important for us all – but it’s even more essential for an athlete, who depends on their body and physical condition for their livelihood. As such, it can be incredibly stressful if an athlete suffers from a traumatic physical injury that either affects their training plan, or even worse, prevents them from competing during their season.

Expectations from Public

Elite athletes may be expected to represent their countries in a certain way; there can be unsaid public pressure for these individuals to be good role models, when they’re flying the national flag.

Additionally, elite athletes end up becoming celebrities in their own way. This leads to a higher level of public scrutiny and media presence in their lives. Think of the media frenzy around Taylor Swift and her new beau, the American football player Travis Kelce! Being in the public eye could be something that the individual hadn’t been prepared for nor asked for, when they first entered the sport.

Common Mental Health Issues

In a study published in 2019, it was reported that the International Olympic Committee had reviewed the mental health symptoms and disorders experienced by elite athletes. According to this review, about 35% of elite athletes may have concerns about their mental health, due to the demands of their sport and training.

Burnout

One of the top mental health concerns for athletes is burnout. The pressure to constantly be on form and look out for their health can be relentless. Professional athletes are expected to train and perform at the top of their level day after day; and there is usually little room for breaks, particularly as whatever one does on their ‘off days’ may affect their performance in their game or race as well.

Anxiety and Stress

Another common issue that athletes face is anxiety and stress, given the pressure to perform and excel in their competitions. Athletes are under constant pressure, and this can ramp up to tremendous amounts in the periods leading up to a huge competition.

Eating Disorders

Athletes may have a specific diet to follow to support their training regime, and may be expected to fit into a certain body type; and this may be a factor that could manifest in disordered eating. This may also affect different genders differently: according to a 2013 review, disordered eating could be experienced by up to 19% of male athletes and 45% of female athletes; and this could also vary across different sports.

Strategies to Cope with Mental Health Challenges

More than just physical ability alone, having good mental health and strength is important for any athlete. This is especially so with the types of challenges that they’re facing. These are just some strategies that athletes may use to overcome their difficulties – and these tips are applicable to anyone, regardless of your sporting ability, for your mental strength too.

Depending on a Support System

Firstly, a good support system is essential for an individual to thrive. In the case of an athlete, this would mean not just having a great and supportive coach, but also teammates that they can depend on for encouragement and comfort. Knowing that one has people that they can count on can be a huge source of assurance; particularly if they’re fellow teammates who are perhaps experiencing the same thing, and can be people that one discusses and processes their emotions with.

In the same way, for us, it’s important that we find our own support system that we can share our joys, sorrows, angers, and everything in between with.

Learning Visualisation

Visualisation is a tool that athletes use, as part of their training, to condition themselves for peak performance. Simply put: one visualises the scenario that they’re training towards (such as a 100m run or a three-pointer shot in basketball); they simulate this in their mind over and over, in as much detail as possible, visualising a successful outcome for themselves. The more an athlete rehearses this in their mind, the more it prepares them for executing it successfully in a competition-like setting.

For us, we can use visualisation as a tool to build our confidence, particularly if we’re preparing for something that could be making us nervous, such as a presentation at work. Going through the details of the event in our head helps us to prepare for the event; so that we’re more confident on the day itself.

Seeking Professional Support

Lastly, it’s not uncommon for athletes to seek the services of professional counsellors or sports psychologists, to help them with their mental health. Sports psychologists specialise in supporting athletes with preparing for the highly stressful environment of competitions, so that they can perform their best when the time comes.

Similarly, a professional therapist or counsellor can be an invaluable resource, if we’re experiencing issues with our own mental health. Get support to overcome whatever you’re facing, with our team of professionals at A Space Between.

References

Written by Em Tang

An experienced health & wellness writer, I am a story-teller at heart. For me, writing is a way of weaving together the little details that make our existence meaningful and significant into a beautiful, larger story.

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The Mind of an Athlete: Overcoming Mental Health Challenges