Falk College hosts ‘More Than a Game’ webinar to promote athlete mental health

....Each athlete struggled to know when to reach out for support. When they would try to downplay the severity of their respective injuries, it made things worse for themselves, and their silence left those closest to them unaware of that reality.

 

“The mental health aspect of an injury cannot be ignored,” Dona said. “Some think it’s easier to not show any signs of such issues or not to think about them. As an athlete, you are already on a pedestal. You don’t always have to be stellar.”

 

Jessica Bartley, the director of mental health at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said the stigma around “mental toughness” is the biggest issue when it comes to dealing with such issues. While 83% of student-athletes do reach out to coaches when struggling, more female athletes seek out mental health support resources than male athletes.....

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Bethany Notes: A nonprofit group called Morgan`s Message is getting the word out about mental health through ambassadors on both college and high school campuses.