Preventing suicide and promoting mental health among student-athletes from diverse backgrounds

Suicide and contributing mental health conditions in athletes are shared concerns within health care and society at large. This commentary focuses on suicide risk among athletes and the role of sports medicine professionals in preventing suicide and promoting mental health. In this commentary, we draw on the scientific literature and our clinical experiences to pose […]

Depression and anxiety-related disorders and suicide among Swedish male elite football players: A nationwide cohort study

Objective To assess whether male elite football players, during and after their active career, were at increased risk of depression and anxiety-related disorders and suicide, as compared with the general male population. Methods We included male football players active in the Swedish top division 1924–2019 and general male population (matched to football players based on age and […]

Athlete mental health: Suicide prevention and trauma planning

Objectives: 1. Describe how to support athletes who are struggling with mental health, suicide ideation, and performance. 2. Develop an emergency action plan for individuals after traumatic experiences.

Media framing of student-athlete suicide: An examination of problems, causes, moral evaluations, and treatment recommendations

At least five NCAA student athletes died by suicide in spring 2022. The deaths generated national news media attention while underscoring the stressors student-athletes face in relation to mental health. Journalists play an important role in shaping public understanding of issues, including mental health and suicide. By framing issues, journalists can shape the way audiences […]

Athletes are not at greater risk for death by suicide: A narrative review of the literature

Introduction Suicide represents a major mental and public health issue. Elite athletes share certain individual and environmental characteristics that may increase their risk for mental illnesses, ultimately leading to suicide. This notion conflicts with the general perception of athletes, being the healthiest representatives of society. Methods A comprehensive literature search was carried out through PubMed […]

No pain, no gain? Associations of athletic participation with capability for suicide among college students

Introduction Suicide is a leading cause of death among college students. In order to advance understanding of suicide risk factors in this population, the present study provides a theoretically grounded test of associations between experiences in sports and both facets of capability for suicide (i.e., fearlessness about death and pain tolerance). Secondarily, the present study […]

Adolescent athletes and suicide: A model for treatment and prevention

When examining suicide in the US adolescent population, subgroups are typically lost in the shuffle. We believe that subgroups are bound by unique characteristics and these distinguishing factors should be taken into clinical consideration. With that in mind, we provide the case that athletes be deemed a specific population and superfluous information regarding athletes should […]

Comparing eating disorder characteristics and treatment in self-identified competitive athletes and non-athletes from the National Eating Disorders Association online screening tool

Objective: We compared eating disorder (ED) characteristics and treatment seeking behaviors between self-identified competitive athletes and non-athletes in a large, community-based sample. Method: During the 2018 National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 23,920 respondents, 14.7% of whom identified as competitive athletes, completed the National Eating Disorders Association online screen. Data were collected on demographics, disordered eating behaviors, probable […]

Open heart, open mind.

~

The psychological response to injury in student athletes: A narrative review with a focus on mental health.

Stress is an important antecedent to injuries and can play a role in the response to, rehabilitation and return to play after injury. The psychological response to injury can trigger and/or unmask mental health issues including depression and suicidal ideation, anxiety, disordered eating, and substance use/abuse. There are barriers to mental health treatment in athletes. […]