There are various reasons why athletes may not seek help, or feel that they could get any help to better their mental health. Firstly, it is very difficult to even recognize that your mind is in an unhealthy state, or that you may even be in need of professional/medical assistance. Reaching that step alone is hard, and sometimes requires an outside point of view.
One of the most common reasons is the fear of stigmatization.
There is a large negative stigma surrounding athletes and mental health, as athletes are commonly expected to be strong all the time. They are not meant to show any signs of weakness and are expected to have a strong and fierce mind. This puts a lot of pressure on athletes, as they feel that they can’t admit when they are hurt both mentally and physically, and push themselves past a healthy amount. Because of this belief, many athletes feel that they are alone with mental health struggles, and that no one else feels the same way they do, or goes through similar situations as them. However this is not the case, as almost all athletes face mental health issues, ranging from high schoolers to Olympians. There are many famous figures who have spoken up about this stigma, including Michael Phelps who said
“For the longest time, I thought asking for help was a sign of weakness because that's kind of what society teaches us. That’s especially true from an athlete’s perspective. If we ask for help then we are not this big macho athlete people can look up to. Well you know what? If someone wants to call me weak for asking for help, that's their problem. Because I'm saving my own life.”
The pressure and expectations that society has placed on athletes causes them to feel that they’re alone, and are not allowed to ask for help, however this is slowly beginning to change as athletes are speaking out and creating a safer and more accepting community.
Another common reason is simply being unaware of any resources or how to access them. Many athletes, especially younger ones, may not know of any resources to help them, or where to go if they want help. This leads them to think that there isn’t any help out there for them, when that's obviously not the case. In addition, there are many resources out there for basic mental health struggles, such as therapists, online resources, and more. Yet, not many are focused on athletes in particular. This is why it's crucial to educate athletes, parents, and coaches on the resources available for them, so this issue becomes less and less prevalent.
Many athletes also have busy schedules, especially if they are still in school. They have to dedicate lots of time to practice and competitions, all while keeping up with everything else going on such as academics, and social commitments. This leads to them not being able to prioritize their mental health, as they are too focused on trying to maintain success in everything else in their lives. This only adds to pressure, and is further proof on why education on this topic is important, so athletes can understand what to focus on.
A final reason young athletes don’t seek help is the cost of treatments. Many people think that the only resources available are ones that require payment such as therapy, or medication. However there are many things that one can do to improve their mental health that don’t require any cost. Even small actions such as meditating, journaling, or going on a walk can significantly better one's mental health. There are various other strategies such as talking to a trusted individual, or trying a new skill or activity. Basically, it's important to do research to find resources that range in price, to reduce the belief that help comes at a cost.
Overall, there are many reasons athletes may not reach out or try to find help to improve their mental health, which have to do with stigma, social pressures, and lack of education. It's necessary to educate others and yourself on the many resources out there, in order to change the societal stigma surrounding mental health and athletes.
