11:57 min
CLEAR ALL
When athletes and active people can’t perform at their peak because of chronic pain it’s frustrating and life can feel incomplete. It’s a story that author Jessica Kisiel, Exercise Physiologist and former professional athlete, knows all too well.
Ouch – that pain is more than just physical.
Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history with 28 medals, has acknowledged that after the 2012 games, his longtime depression was so overwhelming he thought about killing himself.
Experts I spoke with for this story pointed to a couple of reasons professional athletes are particularly susceptible to mental health issues.
Research shows exercise can ease things like panic attacks or mood and sleep disorders, and a recent study in the journal Lancet Psychiatry found that popular team sports may have a slight edge over the other forms of physical activity.
By withdrawing from competition citing concerns over her mental health, Biles showed that resisting expectations can be more powerful than persisting through them.
World-renowned ice climber Margo Talbot shares her compelling story of healing and self-discovery amid the frozen landscapes of the planet.
More athletes are reporting mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, psychiatric conditions and eating disorders.
A complex system in the brain that keeps gymnasts balanced can get out of whack.
“We need to do a better job of addressing mental as well as physical aspects of athletic injuries,” sports psychologist Matthew Sacco, PhD, says.