Mental health is fast becoming an important issue in college sports and needs more urgent attention from the NCAA and college programs. This was a major point of discussion in the latest edition of "The Paul Finebaum Show."
The latest episode featured the Southeastern Conference chief medical advisor, Dr. Katie O'Neal, who commented on the need to develop a defined plan for student-athletes' mental well-being. O'Neal talked about the need to prevent athletes from having mental health problems:
“We don't want them to get to the point where you and I traditionally think about mental health, which is, ‘I have a problem, and now I need to go talk to somebody about the problem.’ We want them to have a wellness plan that keeps them from developing problems.”
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She noted that the plan focuses on ensuring that student-athletes have access to health professionals in a bid to address anxiety from various sources. The ultimate goal is to prevent depression or intervene early if someone is already experiencing depressive symptoms:
“So part of our plan is access to our mental health professionals. So that the anxiety and the social media pressures, the things that result in lack of sleep that ultimately result in depression, don't build upon themselves. Then you also need to meet them where they are when they are already depressed, when they're already fatigued.”
Dr. Katie O’Neal further cited the last survey conducted by the NCAA in 2021, which showed a quarter of student-athletes are battling with depression. This obviously stresses the need to take urgent action to ensure wellness and safety in college sports.
“The NCAA's last survey done in 2021 said that a quarter of our student-athletes in Division I schools said that they were so depressed that it was affecting their entire life, including their performance,” O'Neal said.
Mental health problems are on the rise in college sports
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The college sports landscape is currently recording more mental health and wellness cases than ever. This highlights the importance of addressing the mental wellness concerns among student-athletes and providing adequate support to promote their well-being.
A study conducted by the NCAA in 2021 revealed that approximately 30% of the surveyed athletes reported experiencing a significant sense of being overwhelmed. Also, nearly 25% of the participants expressed feelings of mental exhaustion.
College years can be highly demanding and stressful for individuals. However, student-athletes have to navigate additional challenges beyond those faced by an average student. Therefore, emphasizing mental well-being is highly essential for collegiate athletes.
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