We need to do more for student athlete mental health

Throughout this nation, practically 8 million highschool college students are presently taking part in athletics, and practically half one million school college students compete as Nationwide Collegiate Athletic Affiliation (NCAA) athletes. Final yr, the NCAA surveyed 9,800 pupil athletes and located these athletes are reporting higher-than-average ranges of psychological well being points. Even worse, a 3rd of those that took the survey stated they didn’t know the place to seek out psychological well being providers on their school campus, and fewer than half stated they have been snug even in search of psychological well being providers. It is a very major problem.
Suicide is the third main reason behind demise for people between the ages of 15-24, and this disturbing pattern is particularly impacting our pupil athletes. Scholar athletes, particularly these competing on the highest ranges, are experiencing psychological well being points together with overwhelming stress, consuming issues, burnout, despair, and anxiousness. These crises can result in suicidal ideas and even suicide if left untreated.
Psychological well being stigma is an enormous consider stopping pupil athletes from in search of assist, in order that’s why it’s so essential all of us come collectively to destigmatize in search of assist when wanted. A primary step is recognizing distinctive stressors together with expectations to carry out and obtain nice issues in sports activities, and that is all on high of managing educational work.
There’s plenty of work to be accomplished, and I’m proud to work in a bipartisan trend to deal with pupil athlete psychological well being. This week, Rep. David Trone (D-MD) and I are introducing a decision expressing assist for a “Nationwide Scholar Athlete Psychological Well being Day.” At the present time coincides with Psychological Sickness Consciousness Week, which started this previous Sunday and ends on Saturday, October 8.
The aim of today is to deliver nationwide consideration to the distinctive psychological well being expertise of our nation’s pupil athletes. We need to encourage schools, universities, and their athletic departments to take part by addressing the stigma and drawing consideration to sources for pupil athletes. We additionally need to encourage athletic administrators to incorporate psychological well being sources for pupil athletes in addition to finest practices for suicide prevention. Lastly, we’re asking the President to difficulty a proclamation calling on the folks of the USA to look at Nationwide Scholar Athlete Psychological Well being Day with applicable consciousness and academic actions.
I’m proud to work throughout the aisle on this effort, and I actually consider we will make a distinction and get our pupil athletes the assistance they desperately want.