Mental Health in Sports: Stigma, Vulnerability, and Changing Views
Added on 2023-05-30
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MENTAL HEALTH IN SPORTS
Mental health in sports
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation
1
Mental health in sports
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation
1
MENTAL HEALTH IN SPORTS
Introduction
Stigma in mental health is linked to weakness and is primarily the antithesis of what
athletes want other people to see. It is difficult for an athlete who experiences mental issues to
receive adequate treatment as an athlete who has suffered an injury that is physical where there is
a personnel of experts including health practitioners and trainers who make sure that the athlete
has a speedy recovery (Gulliver, Griffiths, Mackinnon, Batterham and Stanimirovic 2015,
pp.255-261). Mental sickness in sports is usually overlooked, and an athlete may feel that he or
she is lonely and abandoned not being sure where to go. In addition, many people perceive that
mental health problems in athletes are not possible as they are often discerned to be highly
physically healthy human beings. The top athletes have a large fan base which gives a perception
that they cannot have such issues. They do not look for assistance from the mental health centers
in order to disconnect themselves from stigma and avoid mental sickness label and the dangers
that it comes with this. Mental ailment is still a problem in the community and might be
emphasized more in athletes who may fear losing their role model status. I recommend that the
athletes be treated with respected and treated as fellow human beings.
The stigma of mental illness
There is a problem of stigmatization on behalf of the medical experts when providing
medication to the athletes. The problems include: despite the known favorable impacts of mental
sickness exercise, athletes are not often trusted though perhaps at a lower prevalence than the
whole society (Sebbens, Hassmén, Crisp and Wensley 2016, p.911). In addition, I noted that
athletes might be vulnerable to the wrong diagnosis of mental sickness than other individuals
especially with issues that are associated with training athletes and might be seen from a more
slight psychological perspective rather than the wider bio-psychological plan. Furthermore, I
2
Introduction
Stigma in mental health is linked to weakness and is primarily the antithesis of what
athletes want other people to see. It is difficult for an athlete who experiences mental issues to
receive adequate treatment as an athlete who has suffered an injury that is physical where there is
a personnel of experts including health practitioners and trainers who make sure that the athlete
has a speedy recovery (Gulliver, Griffiths, Mackinnon, Batterham and Stanimirovic 2015,
pp.255-261). Mental sickness in sports is usually overlooked, and an athlete may feel that he or
she is lonely and abandoned not being sure where to go. In addition, many people perceive that
mental health problems in athletes are not possible as they are often discerned to be highly
physically healthy human beings. The top athletes have a large fan base which gives a perception
that they cannot have such issues. They do not look for assistance from the mental health centers
in order to disconnect themselves from stigma and avoid mental sickness label and the dangers
that it comes with this. Mental ailment is still a problem in the community and might be
emphasized more in athletes who may fear losing their role model status. I recommend that the
athletes be treated with respected and treated as fellow human beings.
The stigma of mental illness
There is a problem of stigmatization on behalf of the medical experts when providing
medication to the athletes. The problems include: despite the known favorable impacts of mental
sickness exercise, athletes are not often trusted though perhaps at a lower prevalence than the
whole society (Sebbens, Hassmén, Crisp and Wensley 2016, p.911). In addition, I noted that
athletes might be vulnerable to the wrong diagnosis of mental sickness than other individuals
especially with issues that are associated with training athletes and might be seen from a more
slight psychological perspective rather than the wider bio-psychological plan. Furthermore, I
2
MENTAL HEALTH IN SPORTS
realized the sameness between depression as a mental sickness and overstraining as an effect of
ongoing extreme athletic training are applauded. The American Psychiatric Association has
identified the disadvantages of the perception that athletes must be mentally healthy in order to
enhance awareness and eliminate stigma enclosing the athlete’s mental health (Holt, 2016). They
noted that mental sickness is much likely as common in athletes like in the whole community.
They added that it is not a sign of weakness and must be treated accordingly like a physical
injury. In addition, they said that getting assistance will most likely enhance a person’s self-
confidence and not damage it.
Vulnerability of athletes to mental health problems
There are many motives as to why athletes might be susceptible to developing mental
health issues. They have stress and pressures of competing that may leave them with the urge to
create feelings of anxiety or depression. Also, there are hidden head injuries which might lead to
mental health issues like depression. Moreover, other physical injuries, problems with colleagues
or coaches, maturity, bad performances, and retirement might lead the athletes to develop mental
health issues. Athletes must not be pressured into covering the problems; instead, the gladiator
barrier that they always have must be dropped, as it remains the significant barrier for seeking
treatment (Gucciardi, Hanton and Fleming 2017, pp.307-311). There are several issues that need
to be addressed such as the idea that looking for assistance of mental health is a sign of weakness
both from the perspective of the general media and from the athletes personally.
For instance, AFL star and Western Bulldogs key forward; a 21-year-old Tom Boyd was
given an absence leave while going through medication for clinical depression. In 2017 many
athletes encompassing Ian Thorpe who has been able to disclose about battling depression for
some time. Also, Indigenous Rugby League star Greg Inglis who had to check himself in the
3
realized the sameness between depression as a mental sickness and overstraining as an effect of
ongoing extreme athletic training are applauded. The American Psychiatric Association has
identified the disadvantages of the perception that athletes must be mentally healthy in order to
enhance awareness and eliminate stigma enclosing the athlete’s mental health (Holt, 2016). They
noted that mental sickness is much likely as common in athletes like in the whole community.
They added that it is not a sign of weakness and must be treated accordingly like a physical
injury. In addition, they said that getting assistance will most likely enhance a person’s self-
confidence and not damage it.
Vulnerability of athletes to mental health problems
There are many motives as to why athletes might be susceptible to developing mental
health issues. They have stress and pressures of competing that may leave them with the urge to
create feelings of anxiety or depression. Also, there are hidden head injuries which might lead to
mental health issues like depression. Moreover, other physical injuries, problems with colleagues
or coaches, maturity, bad performances, and retirement might lead the athletes to develop mental
health issues. Athletes must not be pressured into covering the problems; instead, the gladiator
barrier that they always have must be dropped, as it remains the significant barrier for seeking
treatment (Gucciardi, Hanton and Fleming 2017, pp.307-311). There are several issues that need
to be addressed such as the idea that looking for assistance of mental health is a sign of weakness
both from the perspective of the general media and from the athletes personally.
For instance, AFL star and Western Bulldogs key forward; a 21-year-old Tom Boyd was
given an absence leave while going through medication for clinical depression. In 2017 many
athletes encompassing Ian Thorpe who has been able to disclose about battling depression for
some time. Also, Indigenous Rugby League star Greg Inglis who had to check himself in the
3
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