Breaking the Stigma: Athletes and Mental Health

Written by: Joe Jardine

Last week, Stanford University's championship-winning soccer goalie and team captain Katie Meyer was found lifeless in her dorm room. Authorities have confirmed that the death was a suicide, leaving hundreds both heartbroken and confused.

From the outside everything looked fine! Katie was an RA and a leader on Stanford's campus. A high achiever both on and off the field, she was on honor roll, all while breaking school soccer records throughout her soccer career.

But clearly, there was more going on than we could see.

Mental health is something that is so often ignored in the sports world. Athletes are often expected to be tough and "not let their emotions get the best of them." Athletes are celebrated when they're strong, and shamed when they're weak, so there develops a culture in athleticism where vulnerability is unacceptable.

However, ignoring the importance of mental health can have serious consequences. Katie's tragic story should make us reconsider just how important it is that we as athletes take regular inventory of our mental health and let people in, so that we can win in life both on and off of the field.

Why we don't talk about mental health in athletes

Mental health is something that we as a society don't talk about enough, let alone with athletes. We see them as these warriors who never show weakness and so we don't create a safe place for them to talk about their emotional wellness.

You've seen it countless times in the movies: the player gets hurt but still wants to be put in the game. So they hide their injury so the coach will still play them. They don't want to let their team down, their coach down, or their parents down. It seems like there's so much at risk if they're not okay!

It feels like it's not okay for them to not be okay.

Likewise, when it comes to mental health, there is so much at risk, so even the idea of letting down the guard of an athlete and showing weakness of any sort is a non-option.

We want heroes. So we put athletes on these pedestals as if they're superhuman. And for an athlete, this seems like an honor, until it turns into an expectation.

But when athletes don't have a safe space to talk about their mental health, they often turn to other methods of coping. This can be anything from drinking, to drugs, to sex, and beyond. But perhaps one of the most deadly addiction all athletes are prone to is the addiction to achievement itself.

The achievement drug

Most athletes –especially in the high school and college years– are high achievers. They're usually used to getting good grades, being a hard worker, and succeeding. And because we celebrate extraordinary people, when we succeed at things, we are celebrated. And that feels good.

Receiving a compliment activates the ventral striatum and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex in the brain, which releases the neurotransmitter Dopamine into our system. And just like Pavlov's dogs. We train ourselves: "When I perform, I get praise. When I get praise, it feels good." If we're not careful, we can become addicted to that dopamine release that we get when we receive praise for what we do. And like any other addiction, the further it goes, the more we're willing to do anything to get It.

Because the logic goes one step further. "When I perform, I get praise. When I get praise, it feels good. Therefore: I must perform or I won't feel good."

And because we love heroes, we're happy to enable these addicts for the sake of our entertainment.

Sadly, it's hard to find a space for an athlete where they can just be. A place where they can be loved and accepted, not for what they've done or accomplished, but just because they are valuable.

I didn't know Katie Meyer, but there's not an article about her that isn't full of the amazing things that she accomplished. She truly was a remarkable young woman. I can only imagine the pressure she must have placed on herself to stay remarkable.

We need to make space for the athletes in our lives to receive love from us, not for anything that they've achieved, but just because they're worthy of love.

Suicide signs and warnings in athletes

Withdrawing from friends and teammates

When we feel disconnected, it can be very easy to feel like we're alone in the world, and that can be a very dangerous place to be. Withdrawing from friends and teammates is a suicide warning sign because it means that the person is no longer feeling connected to the people around them.

Talking about wanting to die or hurt oneself

When someone talks about wanting to die or hurt oneself, it's a clear sign that they need help and aren't feeling okay. If you are speaking with someone who is talking about wanting to die or hurt themself, you need to call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 immediately to get help on how to handle the situation best for that person's safety.

Expressing feelings of hopelessness

When someone feels like they are hopeless, it can be very hard to see any other way out. Expressing feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness is a suicide warning sign because it means that the person isn't just down, but doesn't see any hope of it ever getting better.

Increasing alcohol or drug abuse

When someone is using drugs or alcohol to numb their pain, it can be a sign that they are in danger. Increasing alcohol or drug abuse is a suicide warning sign because it means that the person is looking for ways to escape from their problems.

Exhibiting signs of severe stress or anxiety

If a person is exhibiting signs of severe stress or anxiety, it means that they are feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope. Signs of severe stress or anxiety can be a suicide warning sign because it means that the person fighting a great internal battle.

The National Suicide Lifeline

The National Suicide Lifeline "offers 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States." They can be reached at all hours at 800-273-8255. You can also chat online with them on their website.

Professional help

When it comes to things as serious as suicide, we need our community around us, but we also really need the help of a trained professional. If you're struggling with suicidal thoughts, please let us walk with you through this. We help athletes struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thinking, and beyond, and we'd love to help you too.

Final thoughts

I was heartbroken reading about the tragic death of Katie Meyer. It was another terrible reminder that mental health is a real issue for athletes and it’s time we start to talk about it.

If you're an athlete, do a self inventory. Have you developed an addiction (even a small one) to the drug of achievement? Do you find it difficult to believe that you are worthy of love even if you don't do anything to earn it? It's time to start being more open about your mental health with your close group of friends, family, teammates or coaches.

Let's create space for the athletes to talk about how they're doing in the battle against perfectionism or performance anxiety. We need to make room for them to be broken with no consequences.