Do a lot of athletes deal with mental health problems?

    This is a great question! Yes, athletes can deal with mental health problems. Mental health conditions are something that can affect anyone's health! The pressure to perform at a certain level or to constantly work towards getting better as an athlete can increase the chances of athletes dealing with mental health conditions.  

    The top conditions that athletes face are burnout, anxiety, and depression. Being an athlete and student can lead to having a lot on their plate, pressure from coaches, friends, and family, and constantly trying to be perfect.

    Student-athletes tend to have characteristics that can take them far in life. Such as being hardworking, persistent, a good decision maker, committed, and disciplined. But when the pressure or having to balance all responsibilities becomes too much, some athletes can change their perspective on the sport and who they are. 

They may start to:

• Experience sleep issues from the pressure or anxiety
• Sleep too much that they no longer have a balance of sports and other responsibilities
• Withdraw from friends and family
• Overeat or undereat
• Experience lack of motivation
• Become irritable 
• Have increased heart rate or experience other symptoms of anxiety
• Experience obsessive thoughts that take focus away from other things

    It is important to recognize that these emotions are real, common, and valid. It does not make the athlete any less valuable because this is a normal thing to get through as humans. With proper guidance athletes can overcome this and hopefully fall back in love with the sport OR find something else that makes them happy. 

    To recognize that you are not alone, click here for an article on some of the most famous athletes around the world who have opened up about mental health!

    If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these feelings, it is important to reach out to a trusted adult, doctor, or guidance counselor. If you need help finding a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist. If urgent care is more comfortable for you, please visit this site for a list of Atlantic Health urgent cares.