MENTAL HEALTH IN ATHLETES

By: Lauren and Hannah

STRESS:WHAT IS IT? Stress affects both our minds and our bodies. Stress is generally caused by situations affecting our lives. Stress is our bodies way of responding to pressure. A little bit of stress is okay, but too much stress can cause harm

to both our mental and physical states.

STRESS: WHAT CAUSES IT? The things causing us to be stressed are referred to as stressors. Not everyone becomes stressed for the same reasons, everyone

is different. Stress is generally caused by external factors more so then

internal External stress factors are situations around us while internal

stress factors are our personality traits. Common external stress factors are: Major life changes , Work or

school, Relationship difficulties, Financial problems , Being too busy and Children and family.

Common internal stress factors are: Chronic worry , Pessimism, Negative self-talk, Unrealistic expectations/Perfectionism, Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility and an All-or-nothing attitude.

STRESS IN ATHLETES Athletes are constantly under pressure to perform. Athletes often deal with stress better then non- athletes due to

constant exposure. Stress can help focus an athlete, but too much stress can affect

the way that the athlete performs. Too much stress can cause an athlete to feel emotionally and

physically unable. An athlete under minimal stress will out perform an athlete

dealing with a lot of stress.

EFFECTS ON OUR BODIES Stress can increases the risk of illness and injury. The emotional side of stress can cause us to lose motivation and

in some cases become clinically depressed. Athletes tend to add pressure onto themselves and often times

over train. Training too much can add additional stress onto the body, which

increases the risk of injury even further. Stress can cause us to: Eat more or less, Sleep too much or too

little, Isolate ourselves from others, Procrastinate or neglect responsibilities, Use alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax, Have nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing), Feel Aches and pains, Have bowel issues, Feel Nauseous or dizzy, Have Chest pains and/or rapid heartbeats, Have Frequent colds and Have increased muscle tension.

HOW TO MANAGE STRESS No matter how much you try, there will always be some sort of

stress in your life. Developing coping techniques can help manage the amount of

stress people have in their lives. Effective techniques for dealing with stress are: relaxation,

visualization/imagery, self talk and realistic goal setting. Not all coping techniques work for everyone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHtWSW6OGyU&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=o20RweDzCBY

5 STAGES OF STRESS MODEL

EMOTIONAL AND AEROUSAL PERFORMACE

LONG TERM HEALTH AFFECTS

Chronic pain Migraines Ulcers Heartburn High Blood Pressure Heart Disease Diabetes Asthma Obesity Infertility Autoimmune Diseases Skin Problems Irritable bowel syndromes

ANXIETY:WHAT IS IT? Anxiety is often caused by stress Anxiety is when you are constantly in the state of worry or fear. Mild anxiety is normal, but severe cases can have a big impact

on peoples lives. Anxiety can take control of the things people do on a daily basis

and can affect their way of life both mentally and physically. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPWFXZJ59Js&feature=player

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ANXIETY:WHAT CAUSES IT? Anxiety is the worlds most common Mental illness It is generally caused by internal factors more so then external. Factors such as being a perfectionist, living in the here and now

and self doubt are all some of the personality aspects that cause high anxiety.

For anxiety to become a clinical concern the worries and fears must remain for long periods and interfere with everyday life functions.

Unlike stress anxiety is more of a mental health disorder.

ANXIETY IN ATHLETES Anxiety can affect the way an athlete performs. The attention and movement required by athletic events

becomes increasingly difficult when your body is in a tense state.

Anxiety in athletes generally comes from the fear of failure or negative self talk.

Anxiety can cause athletes to want to escape from performing ( Fight-or-Flight)

A main cause of anxiety in athletes is previous injuries. The more self confidence an athlete has the less anxiety they

will face. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YImMVYPcXHw&feature=play

er_detailpage

DEALING WITH ANXIETY Anxiety is very hard to self regulate Anxiety is not something that can ever be overcome, but it can

be controlled Professional intervention is generally required. If the anxiety is severe enough medication may be needed. A common technique used to help control anxiety is

visualization. Visualization helps to calm anxious people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je1_Upm1UkI&feature=player_detailpage

BODY IMAGE:WHAT IS IT? Athletes are always faced with the need to be perfectly fit due to

the high demand and competiveness of their sport. The obsession with body type is specifically true to athletes who

participate in judged sports such as gymnastics, wrestling, figure skating and dancing.

Body image is how we ourselves personally feel about our physical appearance. Every single one of us has a body image, and a perception on how we look.

In today's society body image has become completely influenced by the media

Athletes suffer with body image just as much as everyone else. Because of the set ideal body descriptions for each sport an

athlete can become obsessed with fitting into the mold.

NUTRITION/EATING DISORDERS Athletes are highly competitive and disciplined individuals who

are constantly looking to excel in their sports. Pressure from coaches and fans can put athletes at an even

higher risk of developing an eating disorder. Identifying eating disorders is even harder to do in athletes.

Athletes tend to mask their disorders by blaming their weight loss on their training and performance goals.

The three most common disorders found in athletes are anorexia nervosa, bulimia and compulsive exercise.

EDUCATION/SUPPORT It is important for athletes to be well educated on the proper

amounts of exercise and nutrition intake needed for their specific body types.

Coaches should be trained on body image and eating disorders so that they can easily identify them amongst their athletes.

In younger athletes the parents play an influential role in being positive advocates for their children.

Support for athletes is essential for self esteem and self confidence in both the athlete's abilities and physical appearances.

http://vimeo.com/61831710

SELF CONFIDENCE: WHAT IS IT? Self confidence is a feeling of trust in ones abilities. Having self confidence is extremely important when it comes to

performing well in sports. When an athlete feels more confident in their abilities they are

most likely to perform better them those who doubt themselves.

BUILDING SELF CONFIDENCE

Just like athletic skill, self confidence must be practiced and maintained.

An athlete can promote their self confidence by visualizing themselves performing at their full potential, and having positive self talk reflections.

Athletes can turn their opponents weakness’s into their own strengths, which will help build confidence

Finding something that motivates athletes helps them to perform better.

OVER CONFIDENCE With self confidence it is important to keep a healthy balance

between being over confident and arrogant and lacking complete confidence.

Too much confidence in an athlete can also affect their performance because they often don’t recognize their weaknesses.

When an athlete is over confident they often times don’t listen to the helpful criticism of others.

ATHLETES AND SELF CONFIDENCE

Soccer Player Loses Confidence in Competition“I train so hard in practice, but in a game situation, I doubt myself

and don’t have the same level of confidence I had in practice.” Golfer Lacks Confidence After Making Mistakes“I try to perform so perfectly when I play golf that after I hit a bad or

even marginal shot, I get frustrated, hit more bad shots, and then lose my confidence altogether.”

Basketball Player Unravels After Coach Blows Top“When my coach rides me after missing a simple lay up, my

confidence goes out the window and then I play tentatively for the rest of the game and can’t find the basket.”

DEPRESSION:WHAT IS IT? Mental health disorder All athletes are at risk from… Over training, heavy workload, pressure to

deliver high performance, the lack of rest and relaxation, chronic fatigue and injuries

Over the past couple of years it has had a sudden increase

SOME PROBLEMS ATHLETES FACE

The public has always looked at athletes as being physically strong, mentally strong, and as leaders in health and well being

With these kinds of expectations it makes it challenging to seek help

THE FIRST MODEL There are always ways we can help, or

even stop this mental health illness By following the FIRST model (Focus,

Identity, Resilience, Service and Time) we know how to prevent issues in the future

FOCUS IDENTITY FIRST MODEL RESILIENCE SERVICE TIME

CHRONIC TRAUMATIC ENCPHALOPATHY

What is it? Also known as CTE Progressive disease of the brain found in

athletes who have experienced brain trauma

This triggers progressive degeneration of brain tissue and causes a buildup of abnormal protein

It is closely related to many problems including depression

Andre Walters (a former NFL player) took his own life at age 44

Suffered brain damage and CTE (depression) Both of these issues were related to

concussions and head trauma from playing football

This has become a more popular condition for many retired football players

Top left: Whole brain section showing no tau protein deposition

Bottom left: Microscopic section shows no tau protein deposition

Top middle: Whole brain section showing abundant tau protein deposition

Bottom middle: Microscopic section showing numerous tau positive

Top right: Whole brain section from a 73 year old world champion boxer with severe dementia showing very severe tau protein deposition

Bottom right: Microscopic section from a 73 year old world champion boxer with severe dementia showing extremely dense tau

POST COMPETITION DEPRESSION

What many athletes go through after their athletic career

They have a hard time getting used to a new routine

If an athlete is unprepared for this transition they may experience depression and other related symptoms

HOW DO YOU TREAT POST COMPETITION DEPRESSION?

Very important to familiarize coaches, athletes, and doctors for treatment

Sport psychologists specialize in treating athletes for these problems

It is important to keep track of both weight and sleep

Ensure they are not losing all of their social support from team members and coaches

MIND OF THE ATHLETE An athlete will either explode or implode

while suffering Neither exploding or imploding is good

for an athlete Exploding may cause harm to the athlete

or those around him/her Imploding will cause a team member to

eventually drift from the team and even the sport

MENTALLY TOUGH:WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

You need to have confidence in your own ability and the ability of your team

You need longing, determination, and motivation to succeed

You need to be able to achieve personal and team goals in high pressure situations

You need to keep focused, and not be distracted from your original objectives

MENTALLY STRONG PEOPLE AVOID

Feeling sorry for themselves Giving away their power Shy away from change Waste energy on things they cannot control Worry about pleasing others Fear taking calculated risks Dwell on the past Make the same mistakes over and over Resent others successes Fear alone time Feel the world owes them Expect immediate results

THE 6 ELEMENTS OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS

How to build a strong athlete … 1. Flexibility Expect the unexpected 2. Responsiveness Remain engaged alive and connected

when put under pressure 3. Strength Being able to focus on what is important

and help give your team encouragement

CONTINUED …4. Courage and Ethics Always lead your team to do the right

thing, you need to always make the best decisions

5. Resiliency Help your team rebound from

disappointments, keep positive and look towards the future

6. Sportsmanship Always be the better player

MENTAL TOUGHNESS We all need these six skills to succeed and to

become mentally strong athleaders Athletes can not succeed on technical skill alone

GETTING CUT FROM A SPORTS TEAM

There is lots of stress and pressure before the tryout

Excitement or disappointment after Every athlete will be cut from something at least

once in their life Most athletes either grow from the experience,

or give up on the sport

FAMOUS FAILURES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLYECIjmnQs

HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH BEING CUT

Ask in advance what coaches are looking for, if they don’t make the team ask what they can improve on for next time

Prepare your child for the worst Try to keep them interested and involved Allow them to handle it on their own Keep it in perspective

BIBLIORGAPHY http://thesportdigest.com/archive/article/stress-and-anxiety-athletics http://www.ehow.com/how_2257634_deal-pressure-sports.html http://ezinearticles.com/?Sports-Psychology:-For-Athletes-to-Deal-With-Stress-on-Competitive-Day---Preparation&id=5784297 http://www.moneyinstructor.com/doc/stressmanage.asp http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni38a6.htm http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Power-of-Confidence-in-Athletes&id=4391699 http://www.content4reprint.com/inspirational/motivational/how-to-build-self-confidence-for-athletes.htm http://www.peaksports.com/the-confident-athlete-cd-program/ http://www.bodysense.ca/en/girls http://socialanxietydisorder.about.com/od/copingwithsad/a/sportsbasics.htm http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145855.php http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/sport_psych/a/aa010603a.htm http://www.athleticinsight.com/Vol1Iss2/Psychoanalytic_Anxiety.htm http://www.ehow.com/about_6577865_athletic-anxiety.html http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm http://coachdeanhebert.wordpress.com/2007/12/16/stress-and-the-athlete/ http://life.familyeducation.com/stress/health/35878.html http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/anxiety/ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249190.php Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YImMVYPcXHw (mental toughness) http://vimeo.com/61831710 ( Body Image) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHtWSW6OGyU (managing stress during competition/training) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o20RweDzCBY ( managing stress) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je1_Upm1UkI (motivation, visualization, anxiety and arousal) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/anxiety/ (anxiety GAD)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YImMVYPcXHw (mental toughness) http://vimeo.com/61831710 ( Body Image) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHtWSW6OGyU (managing stress during competition/training) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o20RweDzCBY ( managing stress) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je1_Upm1UkI (motivation, visualization, anxiety and arousal) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/anxiety/ (anxiety GAD) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tim-elmore/responding-to-the-rise-of_b_4255007.html

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20526304_10,00.html http://www.princeton.edu/uhs/pdfs/NCAA%20Managing%20Student-Athletes%20Mental%20Health

%20Issues.pdf

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http://strong-athlete.com/mental-toughness-the-winning-secret-of-elite-athletes.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLYECIjmnQs http://family.go.com/parenting/pkg-teen/article-785654-when-your-child-doesn-t-make-the-team-t/ http://www.sportgent.com/2012/09/27/what-mentally-tough-actually-mean/