Should The NCAA Do Something About Mental Health?

     In recent years there has been a significant increase in college student-athletes reporting mental health issues. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the rates of mental exhaustion, anxiety, and depression have more than doubled compared to the pre-pandemic rates. Over 30% of female and male athletes have disclosed facing mental health problems. Of that percentage, only 10% of those people receive the help they desperately need. This uprising issue has resulted in 33% of collegiate athletes quitting their sport every year due to mental exhaustion. In the span of just two months in 2022,  five athletes committed suicide from the mental health problems they were facing.

     Why and how is this problem escalating so quickly, is the question many are asking. Student-athletes are feeling the intense pressure to perform not only athletically but academically as well. The NCAA has a rule that if your sport is not in season a coach can't spend more than 20 hours a week on athletically related activities. Although the NCAA recently did a survey and 70% of athletes said they spent as much time on sports in the offseason as they did during their season. This is a problem because this is one of the reasons many athletes are feeling burnout within their sport. This burnout feeling might seem small, but it can lead to a much bigger problem. With such a huge time commitment required by these athletes, coaches need to worry about their social and emotional status outside of the sport. The NCAA has tried to require a sports physiologist that is available for all athletes at all colleges among all three divisions. This is a requirement that is still a work in progress, but is it enough?

 

https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/ncaa-tackling-mental-health/

https://www.psycom.net/student-mental-health/college-athletes-how-to-help

Is required a sports psychologist at every college enough?

If not, what else could be offered for these athletes?

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  • Great topic choice and well done! I would like your opinions within your summary as well.

  • I think that the NCAA should do something about mental health. Sports require physical and mental strengths. Colleges should provide psychologists but one is not enough. If there is only one it is hard to get to every player and help them so having more than one would allow psychologists to dedicate time to every player. 

  • I personally think athletes should be able to have more off time, they work so hard and often overwork themselves which causes stress, and exhaustion, which can cause potential failure, in school or in their sport. I think the athletes should also be provided with information about a therapist so they have someone to talk to when they need it.

    • I agree with you, I think these athletes should have more time in the offseason compared to when their sport is in season. Because they get mentally and physically exhausted over time. 

  • I think that team psychlologists is a good idea, however I think that students should be able to have more off-days when they are in off-season. They should still practice when they are not in season, but have mental health days so that they can focus on themselves for short periods of time.

    • I agree with you, I think the players should be worked less in the offseason compared to when their sport is in season. But I still think that there should be more than one psychologist on campus for these athletes. 

  • I think a sports psychologists for college sport teams is a good start, but isn't the entire solution. According to the information in this post, coaches need to lighten up on their teams during the offseason. Although, that would make the teams worse physically.

  • In my opion it is really important that the student-athletes should get more than just a "good job or a congratulations." The students-athletes work hard eeveryday to be part of a team. Mental health is one of the most important things that push yourself to do something.

  • I think that this really important to these student-athletes. They usually don't get the support that they need and I think it's important to help them. Your mental health is one of the most important things you can have to your health. I think the athletes need more support than a congratulation.

  • I am not sure if it is enough because some people will just pretend to be ok or some will just not go to them for help. I am not sure how to help them because I understand the burnt out feeling. A lot of the students in jazz get a burnt out feeling and after that we had to slow down our practices and not have as many because it stopped being fun.

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