topic 5.3 - high performance sport and mental health

what is high performance sport

includes:

1. olympic/paralympic level

2. international level i.e. world championships

3. national events competing to be on olympic team

4. pro sports league (eg. nba, nfl)

athletes at this level are considered high performance athletes

what is mental health and mental healht struggles

- what lets ppl cope w stress of life, realizing what their capable of, leanrning, working well and contribute to thei rcommunity

- anything causing a person to sruggle w coping w the above

what is mental illness

medical disorders the disturn a persons thinking, behaviour and experesion of emotion

eg. MDD< anxiety, ED's

mental illness and struggles prevalence in canadian adults, HP athelets worldwide and canadian hp athletes

Canadian adults (normal)

20% mental illness

33% mental health struggles

hp athletes worldwide

20-40% mental illness

50-100% mental health struggles

**higher than what we see in Canadian adults

Canadian hp athletes

40% mental illness

Unknow % for struggles

risk factors to mental ilness/struggles

- being a man

- being injured, esspecailly if severe (improtatnto have athleted to come to sessions still )

- performance/winning focuses training environmentts

protectectie factors to mental illness/struggles

- developmentn focused/supportive trainng environment

- strong relationships in and out of sport

- strong coping skils

Barriers to Help-Seeking

1. Mental health literacy

= ability to access and understand information related to maintaining positive mental health (WHO, 2024)

2. Stigma

" People will think I'm weak..., ill get cut from the team"

But this has changed a lot since the early 2000s

Eg.simone biles, naomi osaka

(Mental Health) Policy/Programs in Canadian Sport

1. athlete assistance program

2. game plan

3. canadian centre for mental health in sport

Athlete Assistance Program

- prpgram funcded by federal gov that pays cnadain representing athltese a salary if they meet certain guidlines (eg. placement, no of events)

- if u get physically injured youll still get the salary BUT NOT mental illness (even though both can put u out of training)

*athletes often lie and saying they have physical injury or continue but w declinding performance

game plan

canadian program that provides supports to athlets like education and mental health theorupist funcind (3k)

**however they need to ask for the therapist and only have access to approved thepists

Canadian Centre for Mental Health in Sport: Mental Health Strategy for High Performance Sport in Canada

- a program currently being implemeted which placed policies to make the system more supporteing for athlete mental healh

**but no way to ensure policy is being followed, no punishment if it doesnt

guest lectureer lauren dickler masters research purpose

Purpose: To explore the experiences of Canadian National Team athletes training and competing with diagnosed mental illnesses, with a particular focus on their career journeys.

came up with the athlete mental health journey

Athletes' Mental Health Journey

- recognize problem

- receive diagnosis

- continue to train and compete

- make a trasnision into a break or retiring

- seek treatment

- can possibly go back to training or competeing

DIAGNOSIS (NON)-DISCLOSURE: why do athetes w mentlah ilnness not share w athletic peers

Shared with at least 1 family member.

Shared intermittently with coaches over time - only if and when necessary.

DID NOT share with athletic peers

why?

1. perceived stigma

2. Self-stigma

3. Misconceptions of mental toughness

what is perceve stigma vs self stigma

perceived: What you think other people will think about you eg. "They'll think I'm just looking for attention"

self: When you start to believe those negative stereotypes yourself

"I'm weak"

"I'm broken"

**"Toughing it out" is a prized trait of athletes

Potentially explaining why stigma towards mentally ill athletes is greater than stigma towards nonathletes

Stigma is the greatest barrier preventing athletes from seeking help

(MISCONCEPTIONS OF) MENTAL TOUGHNESS

beleif that you have to mentaly tough to be a hp athlete

thta mental illness = mentally weak ... FALSE

Continuing to train/compete

Athletes often keep training/competing even when struggling mentally because of:

- Denial

- Strong athletic identity

- Comfort in routine

- fear of mentla healht medication (doping accusations, side effects)

**training can act as treatment!!! sport can healp them cope w struggles

Discussion: Paradox of High-Performance Sport

Is it necessary to withdraw from high-performance sport to seek comprehensive treatment?

But what if training is their treatment?

Can training and competition serve as a form of treatment? •

Athletes' Recommendations for Improved Sport Journeys

1. better access to mental health support

2. improved mental health reporting and funding (rn only physical injuries are focused)

3. education to decrese stigma *most imporvment here w ahtletes sharing their stories