There is a lot of stigma around the idea of therapy and struggling with one's mental health, especially as an athlete, but it's not something to be ashamed of. However, it is important to be aware of your mental health and build a healthy understanding of your own mental health needs, which might include therapy. What is important to keep in mind is that one method that works for some people might not be the best for you, and taking care of your mental health is always about finding what methods work for you specifically. Here are some benefits of therapy that you should know to see how it can help you.
- Manage Conflicts and Relationships
One of the most tangible effects of therapy are the benefits on how you can handle conflicts or your own relationships. Not that it will magically solve any issues, but it gives you new ways to manage your own emotions and reactions when put in stressful positions. Therapy helps you understand yourself and, in turn, you start to understand those around you and their actions. It can be a great tool in order to manage these important relationships with others.
- Increased Emotional Well-Being
As mentioned before, a benefit to therapy is understanding yourself. By talking with a psychiatrist, you will be able to analyze parts of yourself you might not want to initially dive into. By looking at these uncomfortable parts of yourself, you come more in-tuned to your emotional well-being. You will start to understand what triggers you, or what causes certain reactions. The more practice and understanding of your emotional well-being you have, the more peace you will find.
Related: Athletes: How to Practice Mindfulness
- Manage Issues around Body-image
Amongst athletes, body-image can be a difficult topic to discuss. There are so many different causes and underlying issues that cause body dysmorphia that a psychiatrist should be familiar with. Even if you feel it might not make a significant difference in your life, understanding how normal those feelings are and being able to put a label or symptoms to those issues could really help you feel more comfortable.
- Stress management
With such a hectic schedule, student-athletes can be more susceptible to daily stress and anxiety. Sometimes, even if there is not a pressing issue, a therapy session could be all the unwinding you would need to get back on your feet. Just being able to put everything into perspective and confide in a third party could help ease your anxieties.
Related: 3 Quick and Easy Self Care Tips for Busy Athletes
- Understanding and Reducing Substance Use or Abuse
Finally, another prevalent issue among student-athletes is substance use or abuse. It is a common issue for any college student and using therapy as a way to understand why you might be using too much could help build up the courage to identify any problems. Not to say that every college athlete is the same, but it is important to know that if you do struggle or have any fear around it, therapy can be a great way to work through it.
If your mental health becomes unbearable or you're struggling and need resources, here are some places to look:
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
American Psychiatric Foundation
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
National Alliance on Mental Illness
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* Originally published on May 12, 2022, by Catherine Light
