Content warning: suicide

Athletes are known for being physically healthy but what about mental health? Throughout modern collegiate athletics, mental health awareness has become a widespread issue and athletes struggle with a variety of issues including:

• Accessing mental health education
• Depressive episodes
• Mental health treatment
• Diagnosed depression
• Suicide

Extending past the college scene, advocates for the issue of mental health in sports can be seen in Kevin Love and Demar DeRozan. These two NBA veterans have taken a stand in the last two years to raise awareness for the issue of mental health in sports. Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles have also shifted the conversation about mental health in sports by voicing their struggles. The bottom line is: whether they be collegiate or professional athletes, fans often forget that real people play the games they watch. As a community, we must normalize the idea that athletes are just as human as anyone else, and their mental health must always be the central focus. It is a virus in athletics that grows in college and, if left unattended, may ruin professional careers.

Related: A Student Athletes Battle with Mental Health

No matter how naturally gifted or hardworking a given athlete is, there is no more important aspect of athletics than the athlete's mental health. The next step in transforming NCAA athletics is to help the athletes after decades of monetary exploitation. Some examples of where college campuses could start may include:

• Creating a wellness center focused on the mental health of athletes juggling athletics, classwork, and everyday life.
• Begin to change the stigma of mental health issues throughout campus by raising awareness through public speakers, posters on campus, etc.
• Hiring specialists for the athletic departments to analyze the mental state of athletes throughout their college's programs, ensuring each person is not overwhelmed during a given semester.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month but mental health should be at the forefront of the minds of everyone on college campuses year-round. Hopefully, campuses will continue to address mental health issues and help their students, including athletes, receive the resources and care they need. 

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* Originally published on May 26, 2022, by Noah Fisher