Mental Health
In the past year many athletes and writers like Kevin Love, Brad Stulberg, Amelia Boone have opened up about their struggles with mental health and how they embraced getting help.
One of the first books that I know of on running that focused on the runners emotional well-being as opposed to the next workout The Happy Runner by David and Megan Roche came out this year. David and Megan radiate an incredibly healthy energy and attitude around therapy and mental health that I believe is doing a lot in the running community to break-down the stigma of mental health.
So many people have spoken out in the past year in an effort to de-stigmatize mental health it is truly an exciting and energizing time. Yet, there is a lot more work we can do.
I believe One act can potentially save a life. Coaches, trainers, teammates, employers, friends and family - in order to help de-stigmatize mental health we need to communicate about it, we need to recognize that having discussions surrounding mental health isn’t something we need to whisper about but to have open discussions about.
A study by the CDC published in 2018 indicated that in some areas of the U.S. that suicide rates had increased by 30% since 1999. We can do more to prevent this.
I believe that the people that are around each other the bulk of the time - teammates, family members, coaches and coworkers are in the best position to help people access help. Those of us that see someone once a week or talk to them on the phone for a brief amount of time may only see the tip of the iceberg.
I want to provide a few tips that I give all the time. Keep in mind that this isn’t all encompassing, nor is intended too. Take the time to connect with a licensed professional and seek out additional tools.
Connect. Your first and foremost tool is your relationship. This relationship is precious and opens a line of communication, trust, and rapport. This relationship can give you early warning signs that something may not be right.
Listen and Respond to Invitations. Trust your instinct and ask questions. Notice changes in behavior, attitude and disconcerting comments. Things like isolation, multiple injuries, under-recovery all add up. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. An empathetic, concerned question and response strengthens the relationship and can lead the someone to immediate help. At the same time remember your limitations and your training: listen, support, refer and follow-up.
Provide Support and Resources. You may have a list of go to doctors, massage therapists, chiropractors, physical therapists, you should also have a list of mental health therapists, these can be licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors, and licensed psychologists.
What matters is they are 1) Licensed 2) Their overall experience, not just how long they’ve been practicing, but what kind of experience outside of school (sometimes the ABC’s behind their name matter little). 3) Your comfort level with them, what does your gut say? Is this person easy to develop a rapport? Do they listen well? 4) Can they fit someone in quickly if necessary? 5) Experience with athletes is a plus but when it comes down to it not necessary in a pinch. Remember - we’re distinguishing mental health from mental performance. Great to have someone who does both, but I’d opt for the mental health therapist if you’re lacking resources, having both in your tool box is a plus. Have access to a number of them.
What this means you may want to spend some time putting together a list and getting to know your mental health partner, talk them, take them out for coffee, meet them in their office, your comfort level will show when you refer an athlete to them. Keep the list updated. People leave practice and their practices fill, check in with them once a year or even several times a year.
Take a training in mental health first aid. You take a CPR course, you take a basic first aid course, a mental health first aid course should be a component of coaching education. As an example, Living Works offers two day courses to help people develop the tools to prevent suicide.
Normalize Seeking Mental Health Help. You’d see a doctor if a cold was getting worse and it felt like it could be strep-throat, right? Feeling down, depressed and anxious is normal, when it the emotions intensify and last longer, then it’s time to seek help. Point out other well-known athletes who have gotten help, use yourself as an example. Have discussions about mental health early on. Talking about it normalizes it. You talk about your nutrition, strength? Talk about mental health and overall well-being as part of the big picture! Have a therapist do talk for your group or team. You’d have a strength coach talk with your athletes? Why not have someone talk about mental hygiene?
When there’s a concern that someones life may be at risk get immediate help! Call 911 and request a welfare check, do not hesitate. Do not worry about hurt feelings - above all a life is more important than someone being upset because you were concerned about their life.
Follow-up. If you’ve had a discussion about mental health out of concern, if you’ve referred to a mental health resource. Follow-up with the individual, make a plan too. “Were you able to get into see the counselor?” “Did you connect?” Not to pry, but to make sure they are getting the assistance they need. If the athlete says - “well yea, but they weren’t helpful” - you can respond with more referrals, not everyone is going to be a perfect match. Chemistry is key. Remind them of that.
These are just some simple ideas. Most of all take the time to talk and listen:
Here are some additional resources that may be helpful:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
In Colorado: Colorado Crisis Services 1-844-493-8255
National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264