• Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
No Result
View All Result

Canada’s elite athletes at greater risk for mental disorders, study finds – National

August 4, 2022


As the importance of mental health continues to make headlines at the Tokyo Olympics, a new study, one of the first of its kind in Canada, has revealed 41 per cent of elite Canadian athletes meet the criteria for one or more mental disorders.

Zoe Poucher, a sports psychology PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, told Global News the data shocked her.

“That number is quite high,” said Poucher.

Alongside a team of researchers, Poucher surveyed 186 Canadian athletes who were training for the 2020 Summer Olympic/Paralympic Games and found they are more at risk for mental disorders compared to the general population.

Nearly 32 per cent reported symptoms of depression, 18.8 per cent reported symptoms of  anxiety, while 8.6 were high risk of an eating disorder.

Story continues below advertisement

Stress and training load were the main factors.

“We found a correlation between having been selected for the Tokyo Games and symptoms of depression,” Poucher explained.

“I think probably a lot of people think, like, ‘They made the team, they must be really happy’,” but Poucher said the findings didn’t support that.

“I’m inclined to think that it maybe has something to do with pressure and expectation. Now you have to compete at the games and it’s this even more stress and more pressure than before,” she said.

Mental health top of mind in Tokyo

Canadian gymnast Ellie Black commented Wednesday on the pressures she and others face on the Olympic stage.

“We are all just human. We are just regular people. We train at the highest level; we compete at the highest level,” Black said

“Sometimes you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. There is a lot of expectation and pressure.”

Her comments were in response to the news that Simone Biles withdrew from Thursday’s all-around athletic gymnastics final at the Tokyo Olympics, after stepping back from competition on Tuesday.

Story continues below advertisement

USA Gymnastics released a statement saying Biles’ withdrawal was made, “after further medical evaluation” for the 24-year-old superstar gymnast to “focus on her mental health.”

Read more:

Simone Biles’ Olympics puts focus on mental health: ‘I have to do what’s right for me’

Why are elite athletes so stressed? 

Canadian rower Dr. Jane Thornton, who competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, said the pressure that comes with being on a world stage is immense.

“You train for years and years … but nothing that prepares you for the intensity of an Olympic games,” she said. “As an ambassador of your country … it can sometimes feel like the weight of world is on your shoulders.”

Trending Stories

  • Monkeypox: 890 cases reported in Canada, majority in Ontario

  • The dark side of winning the lottery: lucky ticket can cause new troubles, past winners say

Katherine Tamminen, a sports psychologist who is also involved in the study, said not wanting to let anyone down is one of the most common stressors.

“Athletes might also feel a sense of obligation or pressure to perform well because of all of the sacrifices that they’ve made. They want all of that effort that’s been invested to be worth it to pay off,” she explained.

Story continues below advertisement


Click to play video: '‘We are just human’: Ellie Black comments on Simone Biles’ withdrawal for mental health'



3:52‘We are just human’: Ellie Black comments on Simone Biles’ withdrawal for mental health


‘We are just human’: Ellie Black comments on Simone Biles’ withdrawal for mental health – Jul 28, 2021

Tamminen said athletes also face burnout as well as organizational stressors and pressure from the public, especially around competition time.

“It’s really intensified around the Olympics,” she noted.

And the pandemic has made it worse, said Thornton, who is now a sports medicine physician.

“I have seen an uptick in patients with anxiety when that wasn’t an issue for them before. The is uncertainty getting to them.”

Canadian findings not unique 

While Poucher said she was originally shocked by the number of athletes who are facing mental disorders, she said given the other findings worldwide, she shouldn’t be.

In a study out of Australia, 50 per cent of 224 elite athletes they spoke to experienced symptoms of at least one mental disorder.

Story continues below advertisement

Out of  143 athletes surveyed from the United Kingdom, 48 per cent reported symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Read more:

‘Bigger than media’: Olympians call for greater mental health support for athletes

Prioritizing and destigmatizing mental health in sports 

Both Poucher and Tamminen acknowledge there are better supports these days but getting athletes to use them is a whole other ballgame.

“I think in some cases it’s a matter of maybe encouraging access because some of the stigma still exists,” Poucher said.

She also explained why an athlete may be hesitant to seek help. “Maybe I talk to a sports (psychologist) and they talk to my coach and they think I’m not mentally ready to compete,” she said.

Thornton agreed.

“We train so hard … we appear to have it together,” she said, “but I think what happens is the culture of sport makes it hard to voice your symptoms and admit weakness.”

Poucher said coaches should instead welcome the honesty.

It’s a proactive approach, Poucher said, that may have helped in the case of Simon Biles.

Story continues below advertisement

“Maybe if she had been able to work through some of this beforehand and been in a place where there was someone to help, maybe then it wouldn’t have built up into this big thing at the Olympics,” she said.

Poucher also explained a better flow of information and communication between family, coaching staff and athletes could help reduce stress as well.

Success with support 

In 2018, Canadian swimming star, Penny Oleksiak, took a step back from her sport after her family said she was becoming burnt out after a non-stop competition circuit.

“We were concerned she was getting overwhelmed,” her mother, Alison Oleksiak, told Global News. “It was a 30-month period with no breaks. No one can keep doing that.”

The break, her sister said, paid off.

“The mental growth she has developed … she has a revived passion for the sport again,” said Hayley Oleksiak, “We talk to her day to day … when she is racing … she is so happy and confident.”

Read more:

Penny Oleksiak’s family reflects after she becomes Canada’s most decorated summer Olympian

In Tokyo, Wednesday’s bronze medal win made Oleksiak the most decorated Canadian summer Olympic athlete.

Story continues below advertisement

For Thornton, the importance of support cannot be overstated.

“We need to really build a support network (of) family and friends,” she said. “We need to support (athletes) throughout their journey, no matter how they perform.”

© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.





Source_link

Share120Tweet75Share30

Related Posts

Depression

Mental health among UK secondary pupils worsened sharply in pandemic, study shows | Young people

September 22, 2023

Secondary school pupils in the UK experienced significantly higher rates of depression, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and overall worse mental wellbeing during the Covid pandemic, research shows.Cases of depression among secondary school pupils aged 11 to 13 rose...

Positive Emotions and Thoughts Comfort Your Frantic Teen
Depression

Positive Emotions and Thoughts Comfort Your Frantic Teen

September 16, 2023

Angry  Positive emotions and thoughts are important for psychological wellbeing, but it can be hard to harness them when negativity has taken over. This is especially true for children and teens, whose brains are still developing, and they may...

Depression

Psychedelic treatment in mental health lacks evidence, Australian experts say | Health

September 13, 2023

Evidence to support the widespread use of psychedelics to treat mental health conditions such as depression is lacking, according to politicians and representatives of peak health bodies interviewed for a research paper published on Wednesday.Researchers from Monash University in...

Depression

‘Wife, children, best friend all gone’: Diaries reveal Steinbeck’s darkest year | John Steinbeck

September 10, 2023

On the eve of 1949, shortly before he started writing his masterpiece, East of Eden, the great American author John Steinbeck wrote in his diary: “I don’t suppose anyone has ever so hated a year as I hated 1948....

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Anxiety (821)
  • Depression (211)
  • Meditation (356)
  • Mental Health (1,122)
  • Mental Illness (385)
  • Sound Therapy (2)
  • Stress Disorders (402)

Popular

  • Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    303 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • Helpful Resources During Suicide Prevention Month 2022 – My Brain’s Not Broken

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • FDA Approves Luye Pharma’s Rykindo® for the Treatment of Schizophrenia and Bipolar 1 Disorder

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • How Stress Affects Your Vision

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • 4 signs of burnout in your teen– and how to help them through it

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 Naturalele.com | All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
What Are Cookies
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT