From Phelps to NBA Stars: More Athletes Are Talking Mental Health
5 years, 6 months ago

From Phelps to NBA Stars: More Athletes Are Talking Mental Health

The Quint  

The great basketball writer Jackie MacMullan recently stood at the front of a hotel ballroom in Tampa taking questions after collecting a career achievement award from the Association for Women in Sports Media. But then someone brought up a series of stories MacMullan had written for ESPN last summer on NBA players’ mental health problems. She said a league source called the problem “rampant.” It’s not just the NBA where athletes’ struggles with mental health are under scrutiny, either. As the director of the John Curley Center for Sports Jounalisn at Penn State University, I’ve noticed that mental health and sports is a topic gaining attention among athletes and the journalists who cover them.

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History of this topic

The ‘post-Olympic blues’: Why do so many competitors suffer an emotional comedown?
4 months, 4 weeks ago

The ‘post-Olympic blues’: Why do so many competitors suffer an emotional comedown?

New York Times  

The Olympics should be the pinnacle of an athlete’s career. “Sports psychologists didn’t really get it.” Athletes “wanted to be supported through the post-Olympic blues by somebody who’d been through it,” Howells says. In a 2018 paper, Howells wrote that athletes with a greater “myopic” performance focus are more at risk of the ‘blues’. “The biggest difference I’ve seen is …

At Paris, the Olympics make space for mental health too
5 months, 2 weeks ago

At Paris, the Olympics make space for mental health too

Hindustan Times  

Paris: Located on the first floor of the fitness centre inside the Athletes Village rests a first-of-its-kind room. That elite athletes, even the unmatched Michael Phelps kind, aren’t immune to mental health issues really came to the fore around the pandemic Games. An IOC Athlete365 survey revealed “that mental health was one of the top priorities for athletes”, Kirsty Burrows, …

Mental health and the Olympics: How the USOPC is preparing for the toll on athletes
5 months, 2 weeks ago

Mental health and the Olympics: How the USOPC is preparing for the toll on athletes

New York Times  

Follow our Olympics coverage from the Paris Games. “Sometimes, it feels really anticlimactic.” Despite one of the most successful sporting careers ever, Michael Phelps battled depression and has been outspoken about the need for more mental health care for athletes. Bartley, who has worked with the USOPC since it created a mental health task force in 2020, said that her …

Biles, Osaka and Phelps spoke up about mental health. Has anything changed for the Paris Olympics?
5 months, 2 weeks ago

Biles, Osaka and Phelps spoke up about mental health. Has anything changed for the Paris Olympics?

Associated Press  

Lydia Jacoby was a breakout star in the pool for the United States at the last Summer Games, earning a gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke and a relay silver. “I do think there still could be more,” track star Gabby Thomas said, “but, I mean, they’re there.” Olympians Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka and Michael Phelps opened doors Three Olympians …

The mental and physical tolls of the tennis season weigh on players by the US Open
1 year, 4 months ago

The mental and physical tolls of the tennis season weigh on players by the US Open

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic considers his mental state just as important as his physical condition when it comes to being prepared to play his best at age 36. “I just feel that there is always, I guess, an extra gear that you have inside of you and you can find when you dig deep to handle and manage energy …

Behind The News
1 year, 7 months ago

Behind The News

ABC  

Cale Matthews, BTN Reporter: It's 6am. Professor Rosie Purcell, Melbourne University: There's an awful lot that we don't know and understand, so this is a group that hasn't really had a lot of attention paid to it, and that's ironic because most mental health issues actually start in this age range of between, say 12 to 25. Harry Bruce: You …

LOCALIZE IT: How social media and March Madness collide
1 year, 9 months ago

LOCALIZE IT: How social media and March Madness collide

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS: Social media's ever-growing …

Atonio Mafi draft diary: Mental health should be a priority, even in football culture
1 year, 10 months ago

Atonio Mafi draft diary: Mental health should be a priority, even in football culture

LA Times  

As offensive lineman Atonio Mafi transitions from UCLA to the NFL, he is sharing his journey with Times staff writer Ben Bolch through a weekly diary leading up to the draft April 27. Over the years, both in college and as I prepare for the NFL draft, I’ve found that balance is the biggest thing. I always end it praying …

Universities focus on athletes’ mental health after crises
2 years, 1 month ago

Universities focus on athletes’ mental health after crises

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! “And not only our football student athletes — with all of our student athletes.” Clinksdale said after he was informed that Christian Eubanks, 18, and Caleb VanHooser, 19, had been killed in a single-vehicle wreck just outside of Indiana State’s Terre Haute campus, he went to …

Mental health hovers over Olympics, on its way to mainstream
2 years, 10 months ago

Mental health hovers over Olympics, on its way to mainstream

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned after the …

Mental health hovers over Olympics, on its way to mainstream
2 years, 10 months ago

Mental health hovers over Olympics, on its way to mainstream

Associated Press  

ZHANGJIAKOU, China — At the Tokyo Olympics, mental health was the breakout star. “I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned after the last Olympics is being as open as possible,” snowboarding sensation Chloe Kim told reporters after she took the gold medal on Thursday in the halfpipe competition. After snowboarder Jamie Anderson, who came to Beijing as the two-time defending …

Finding the ‘happy bubble': Mental health key for Olympians
2 years, 11 months ago

Finding the ‘happy bubble': Mental health key for Olympians

Associated Press  

MIDWAY, Utah — Sean McCann peered at the targets through a spotting scope and used a hand-held magnetic board to mark where the bullets hit. Biles’ courage prompted Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history and an athlete who has been up front about his mental health struggles, to proclaim “it’s OK to not be OK.” “It was a …

Finding the 'happy bubble': Mental health key for Olympians
2 years, 11 months ago

Finding the 'happy bubble': Mental health key for Olympians

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Biles' courage prompted Michael Phelps the most decorated Olympian …

Mental health among athletes spotlighted in tumultuous 2021
3 years ago

Mental health among athletes spotlighted in tumultuous 2021

Associated Press  

Simone Biles understands now that she was struggling long before she arrived at the Tokyo Olympics, where the unofficial face of the Games and one of the greatest gymnasts of all time was unable to force a smile and push her way through on the world’s biggest stage. Michael Phelps, retired swimmer and winner of a record 23 gold medals, …

Focus on Mental Health After 4 Suicides Rock Indian Shooting Fraternity
3 years ago

Focus on Mental Health After 4 Suicides Rock Indian Shooting Fraternity

The Quint  

Pistol coach Ronak Pandit, who has been training Indian shooters for many years, feels there is a “general lack of empathy and all one is looking for is success without really understanding what goes into it.” “It is the most unfortunate thing that can happen and everyone in the shooting fraternity is taken aback. I cannot even imagine what the …

2021 Notebook: For athletes, mental health took center stage
3 years ago

2021 Notebook: For athletes, mental health took center stage

Associated Press  

THE BACKGROUND: It was the year that mental health took a prominent position in the sports world — led by two female athletes, Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka. ___ ASHLEY LANDIS, AP photographer who covered Biles at the Tokyo Olympics: I think all of us who were covering it, we didn’t really know what was going on. ___ JENNA FRYER, …

2021 Notebook: For athletes, mental health took center stage
3 years ago

2021 Notebook: For athletes, mental health took center stage

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy THE BACKGROUND: It was the …

2021 sports year in review: The year Simone Biles taught us it’s OK to not be OK
3 years, 1 month ago

2021 sports year in review: The year Simone Biles taught us it’s OK to not be OK

LA Times  

A shockwave sliced through the Ariake Gymnastics Center early in the women’s team competition at the Tokyo Olympics. In early November she posted a photo of herself on a practice court with the caption, “Kinda rusty, but feels good to be back.” Biles and Osaka weren’t the only athletes whose mental health issues drew widespread attention this year. “Mental health …

NBA All-Star Kevin Love honored for mental health advocacy
3 years, 1 month ago

NBA All-Star Kevin Love honored for mental health advocacy

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. On Thursday, the Boston-based Ruderman Family Foundation honored …

We need to do more about player mental health - ITF chief
3 years, 5 months ago

We need to do more about player mental health - ITF chief

The Hindu  

Tennis governing bodies take mental health issues extremely seriously but are aware that more needs to be done to support players in that area, International Tennis Federation chief David Haggerty told Reuters. "Mental health is very, very important," Haggerty, who is also an International Olympic Committee member, said in an interview at the Games. Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French …

Simone Biles makes mental health the talk of the Tokyo Games
3 years, 5 months ago

Simone Biles makes mental health the talk of the Tokyo Games

Associated Press  

TOKYO — Brittney Griner has long been open about her ongoing battle with depression, an ailment that triggered suicidal thoughts when she was younger and last year drove her out of the WNBA bubble because the isolation was too much to handle. “If you’re not your best self, you’re not going to be the best in your sport or help …

‘OK not to be OK': Mental health takes top role at Olympics
3 years, 5 months ago

‘OK not to be OK': Mental health takes top role at Olympics

Associated Press  

TOKYO — For decades, they were told to shake it off or toughen up — to set aside the doubt, or the demons, and focus on the task at hand: winning. Now an analyst for NBC’s swimming coverage, he said watching Biles struggle “broke my heart.” “Mental health over the last 18 months is something people are talking about,” Phelps …

Column: ‘We can all learn from her courage’: Simone Biles not alone in mental health struggle
3 years, 5 months ago

Column: ‘We can all learn from her courage’: Simone Biles not alone in mental health struggle

LA Times  

For nearly a decade Simone Biles seemed not only unbeatable but unshakeable. “After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement. “Really proud for her for prioritizing mental health and making sure that everyone knows and …

Simone Biles Busts The Myth That Mental And Physical Health Aren't Equal
3 years, 5 months ago

Simone Biles Busts The Myth That Mental And Physical Health Aren't Equal

Huff Post  

Laurence Griffiths via Getty Images Mental health and physical health are still not looked at as one and the same in sports. A Team USA coach reportedly said her exit was “not injury related” but “a mental issue she is having.” Biles later explained what happened in a press conference. “Mental health needs to be recognized as equal in importance …

Tokyo Olympics 2020: Indian athletes have become more open to mental health, says John Gloster
3 years, 5 months ago

Tokyo Olympics 2020: Indian athletes have become more open to mental health, says John Gloster

Firstpost  

John Gloster first came to India in 2005 to become India men’s cricket team’s physiotherapist. Currently, he is the head of Sports Science at the GoSports Foundation and has worked with many of the Tokyo-bound athletes as well as grassroots athletes on sports psychology, medicine among other things. Firstpost caught with Gloster to speak on the challenges that India’s Tokyo-bound …

Tennis players discuss mental health issues raised by Osaka
3 years, 6 months ago

Tennis players discuss mental health issues raised by Osaka

Associated Press  

WIMBLEDON, England — Naomi Osaka was not the first professional tennis player to withdraw during a Grand Slam tournament because of mental health concerns — and she likely won’t be the last. “And there’s always a breaking point for everyone.” Osaka brought attention to the topic in late May, when she pulled out of the French Open before the second …

Naomi Osaka says ‘athletes are humans’ in Time magazine cover article about becoming ‘face of athlete mental health’
3 years, 6 months ago

Naomi Osaka says ‘athletes are humans’ in Time magazine cover article about becoming ‘face of athlete mental health’

The Independent  

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our …

Into the open: struggles of the female athlete
3 years, 6 months ago

Into the open: struggles of the female athlete

The Hindu  

In 2019, Utkarsha Pawar, 22, from Pune, began journalling. Added layers of pressure There are two parts to building mental health in athletes: Performance enhancement on field and well-being off field, says Divya Jain, a sports psychologist from Fortis Healthcare. The nuances of women’s sport While we will never know the depth of Naomi Osaka’s mental health condition — she …

Sponsors hail Naomi Osaka's 'courage' on mental health after star's French Open pullout
3 years, 7 months ago

Sponsors hail Naomi Osaka's 'courage' on mental health after star's French Open pullout

Firstpost  

Osaka received criticism by some who say the media events are just “ part of the job." That would explain why so many of them have stuck by Osaka after the four-time Grand Slam champion announced on Monday that she was withdrawing from the French Open because she didn’t want to appear for the requisite news conferences that caused her …

Sponsors hail Naomi Osaka’s ‘courage’ on mental health
3 years, 7 months ago

Sponsors hail Naomi Osaka’s ‘courage’ on mental health

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — A few years ago, a star athlete dropping out of a major tennis tournament over mental health issues might have been seen as a sign of weakness. That would explain why so many of them have stuck by Osaka after the four-time Grand Slam champion announced Monday that she was withdrawing from the French Open because she …

Times columnists talk Naomi Osaka, mental health, the media and seeing athletes ‘as humans’
3 years, 7 months ago

Times columnists talk Naomi Osaka, mental health, the media and seeing athletes ‘as humans’

LA Times  

Naomi Osaka’s initial decision to skip French Open news conferences and her later withdrawal from the tournament due to her battle with depression and anxiety sparked international debate about the role of media and athletes’ mental health. Under those rules — not the media rules, the league’s rules — the postgame news conference format is actually the best and easiest …

Mental Health Struggles Don't Care About 'Success'
3 years, 7 months ago

Mental Health Struggles Don't Care About 'Success'

Huff Post  

Tim Clayton - Corbis via Getty Images Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open in order to protect her mental health — a move that brought a lot of praise and trolling. “Anyone that knows me knows I’m introverted, and anyone that has seen me at tournaments will notice that I’m often wearing headphones as that helps my social …

The Naomi Osaka fiasco is a sign that we’re nowhere near finished with work on mental health
3 years, 7 months ago

The Naomi Osaka fiasco is a sign that we’re nowhere near finished with work on mental health

CNN  

CNN — It’s the modern day equivalent of the Roman Empire’s gladiatorial shows. It’s a daunting prospect for any athlete, let alone Osaka, who admitted on Twitter she was “not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media.” So the four-time major winner took the dramatic decision to eschew news conferences …

Ahead of Tokyo, a much-needed focus on mental health
3 years, 7 months ago

Ahead of Tokyo, a much-needed focus on mental health

Hindustan Times  

Months before the Tokyo Olympics, these words sound like stating the obvious: “I believed in an equation where gold medal equals happiness.” That equation, as shared by Abhinav Bindra, makes total sense to the Indian athlete. Bindra, a member of the International Olympic Committee’s athlete commission, is also part of the IOC’s Mental Health Working Group that drafted the Mental …

Op-Ed: Are youth sports harming our kids’ mental health?
3 years, 9 months ago

Op-Ed: Are youth sports harming our kids’ mental health?

LA Times  

Members of the Brattleboro, Vt., Union High School’s girls’ varsity soccer team practice on Sept. 8, 2020. Evidence suggests that as young people compete more intensely in sports, gains in mental wellness may be replaced by mental health challenges particular to competitive athletics. Supporting psychological well-being in our young athletes feels especially urgent as we emerge from a pandemic that …

Olympic legends address importance of mental health in sports at Laureus Forum - Sports News
4 years, 1 month ago

Olympic legends address importance of mental health in sports at Laureus Forum - Sports News

The Hindu  

A group of global sporting stars have come together at the inaugural Laureus Sport for Good Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum even to underline how sport can play to reverse the global mental health crisis among young people. The international field was joined by Laureus Hong Kong Ambassadors Lee Lai Shan, Wong Kam Po, Malina Ngai Man Lin, Alex Fong …

Opinion I Athletes aren’t products, they’re human
4 years, 4 months ago

Opinion I Athletes aren’t products, they’re human

Live Mint  

Kokichi Tsuburaya can’t run and it kills him. That only a few win; that it won’t last; that you will be cast aside; that winning doesn’t always mean long-lasting happiness; that when you are done you are often ready for nothing else. Athletes train themselves to mask weakness, lock away vulnerability and keep—as Phelps says—“pain out of sight”. Bindra is …

Cricket Australia to appoint ‘mental health and wellbeing’ expert
4 years, 5 months ago

Cricket Australia to appoint ‘mental health and wellbeing’ expert

The Hindu  

In a first, Cricket Australia is set to appoint a mental health professional after the high-pressure nature of the game forced three of its active players, including star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, into sabbaticals last year. Last week, CA put out an “The new Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead will give a greater focus on mental health at Cricket Australia, giving …

Talking about mental health `vital´ as sport returns, says Duke of Cambridge
4 years, 6 months ago

Talking about mental health `vital´ as sport returns, says Duke of Cambridge

Daily Mail  

The Duke of Cambridge joined England rugby hero Jonny Wilkinson and other sporting greats to discuss the issue of mental health as sport returns to the UK. The Duke of Cambridge Prince William was joined by England rugby hero Jonny Wilkinson, tennis player Jamie Murray, Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and former Arsenal and Lionesses footballer Alex Scott and other sporting …

Mental training key to maintaining consistency: Dr. Savanur
4 years, 7 months ago

Mental training key to maintaining consistency: Dr. Savanur

The Hindu  

Mental health awareness has been the most talked about topic across sports over the last few years. Dr Swaroop, who has also spent time with India's 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup side, Vidarbha Ranji Trophy team and athletes like Sharath Kamal, Ankita Raina and Pooja Rani at Lakshya Sports in the past, spoke about a variety of problems related to …

Mental stress for athletes: From ‘let’s play’ to ‘stay home’
4 years, 8 months ago

Mental stress for athletes: From ‘let’s play’ to ‘stay home’

Associated Press  

MINNEAPOLIS — The flu-like illness Michael Jordan fought through to lead the Chicago Bulls to a crucial victory in the 1997 NBA Finals created instant fodder for the virtue of perseverance. “You really don’t know what the next day holds,” Buffalo Sabres star Jack Eichel said. ”Every morning you wake up, you don’t have to go to the rink, you …

The Women’s Super League star shining a light on mental health during the coronavirus pandemic
4 years, 8 months ago

The Women’s Super League star shining a light on mental health during the coronavirus pandemic

The Independent  

At a time when coronavirus is causing huge uncertainty, Brighton & Hove Albion forward Aileen Whelan believes mental health has never been more important than it is right now. “Mental health is more important than ever right now,” Whelan explained recently on Twitter. “I have always worked with children in a childcare capacity and wanted to be able to support …

Coronavirus Outbreak: Locked-down athletes face mental health challenge
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus Outbreak: Locked-down athletes face mental health challenge

Firstpost  

Chalmers is one of thousands of athletes whose dreams have been put on hold following the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, while thousands more around the world are in lockdown with their sporting careers shelved indefinitely. I think I love training more than I love racing.” Chalmers is one of thousands of athletes whose dreams have been put on hold …

Supporting mental and psychosocial well-being need of the hour
4 years, 9 months ago

Supporting mental and psychosocial well-being need of the hour

The Hindu  

A survey conducted by the Indian Psychiatry Society reveals "the number of people suffering from mental illness in the country has shot up by a significant 20 per cent within just one week of the coronavirus outbreak." Like everything else, the sporting world has come to a standstill, and there are growing concerns regarding the mental health of athletes. Consultant …

Valentin Altenburg on mental impact COVID-19 has on athletes
4 years, 9 months ago

Valentin Altenburg on mental impact COVID-19 has on athletes

The Hindu  

While the entire world is struggling with the coronavirus, Germany has done well to keep the fatality rate low despite being among the top-five nations in terms of positive cases. Valentin Altenburg, the German junior men’s hockey coach who also led the national team to a bronze at Rio Olympics, believes a joint effort from the government and people was …

Isolated athletes face mental health risks, warn experts
4 years, 9 months ago

Isolated athletes face mental health risks, warn experts

The Hindu  

Fear, stress and money worries: coronavirus lockdown is hard for anyone, but athletes are facing extra mental health risks as they go from highly active lifestyles to isolation and boredom, experts warn. Long-term effects on athletes after the SARS and swine flu outbreaks included anxiety, obsessive hand-washing and fear of getting too close to people, Carolyn Broderick, Tennis Australia's chief …

Tokyo Olympics postponed: Phelps worried about mental health
4 years, 9 months ago

Tokyo Olympics postponed: Phelps worried about mental health

The Hindu  

Michael Phelps has been open about his mental health struggles, even as he became the most decorated athlete in Olympic history. I can’t imagine what these athletes are going through right now.” In an telephone interview from his Arizona home, where he is largely hunkered down like so many others around the globe, Phelps gave reluctant praise to the International …

How to handle mental health issues? Sportsmen spell out
5 years, 1 month ago

How to handle mental health issues? Sportsmen spell out

The Hindu  

The urge to give up I almost gave up cricket at the end of the 2002-03 season. READ| Depression in cricket: Waking up to mental health Somehow my dad had slipped a hanging ball into my bag and in England I got the chance to resume the routine. Now when I look at it and all the talk about the …

Glenn Maxwell has shone a much-needed light on an under-discussed issue in professional sport: Mental health
5 years, 1 month ago

Glenn Maxwell has shone a much-needed light on an under-discussed issue in professional sport: Mental health

Firstpost  

Depression and anxiety attacks are major concerns in professional sport but few choose to discuss them because of the stigma associated with mental health issues It is intermission time for ‘The Big Show’. Glenn Maxwell, the Australian swashbuckler, has taken an indefinite break from cricket citing mental health issues. England all-rounder Michael Yardy, Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait, and England’s …

As one star rises, another takes a break. Are the mental health challenges young athletes face too great?
5 years, 1 month ago

As one star rises, another takes a break. Are the mental health challenges young athletes face too great?

ABC  

On a Wednesday afternoon there were — generously — 500 people scattered around the cavernous MCG to witness the debut of a 17-year-old Victorian batsman who has been reflexively and rather haphazardly labelled "the next Will Pucovski". It is both dangerous and disrespectful to speculate about the reasons for Pucovski's decision and particularly about his mental health beyond what he …

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