University Counseling Services

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Athletes

The college years can be a stressful time, and it is not unusual for this stress to reach the level of impairing a student’s functioning. College student-athletes face not only the same stressors as do their non-athlete peers but must also cope with stressors unique to their role as athletes. So, it’s not surprising that several studies have suggested that the incidence of psychological concerns among student-athletes is at least as high, if not higher, than non-athletes. In fact, the incidence of some mental health concerns, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, and substance abuse disorders may be higher among student-athletes than non-athletes.

Below are some stressors unique to the student-athlete experience:

  • Demanding training schedules
  • Balancing academic and athletic demands
  • Difficulty developing social relationships based on rigorous schedule and training demands
  • Frequent travel
  • Competitive stress
  • Injuries
  • The coach-athlete relationship
  • Competition with teammates
  • Managing the transition out of college athletics
  • Media pressure
  • Overtraining, staleness, and burnout

Coping with these stressors can put significant demands on a student-athlete’s ability to cope. The emotional distress that can result may be exacerbated in student-athletes because they often feel that admitting to emotional problems is a sign of weakness, a view that can sometimes be fostered within the culture of sports. Nevertheless, many student-athletes acknowledge that the stress they experience negatively affects them, both inside and outside their sport. For instance, in their book on stress in college athletics, authors James Humprhey, Deborah Yow, and William Bowden report that about 40% of male athletes and over 50% of female athletes stated that the stress associated with their sport participation significantly affected their mental or emotional health.

Furthermore, the demands of college athletics make student-athletes more susceptible to certain mental health issues. Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance use are highly common amongst student-athletes. If you or someone you know are a student-athlete struggling with mental health, check out these resources to get help.

Resources

VCU Athletic Psychological Services

Individual Counseling and Performance Psychology Sessions

  • Free, confidential counseling to address mental health concerns and sport performance concerns including: depression, anxiety, eating and body image concerns, trauma, family and/or relationship concerns, coping with injury, career transition/retirement, identity development, confidence, self-talk, performance anxiety
  • You do not need to face this alone. If you would like to speak with the athletics counselor about your concerns, Make an Appointment 
  • Dr. Bridget Smith, the VCU Athletics Psychologist, is located in the VCU Sports Medicine Center at 1300 W Broad Street. We also have providers located at the UCS main office, on the 2nd floor of the Commons.
  • Identity-Based Support Groups
    You aren’t just an athlete. Many student-athletes hold identities that contribute to their experience in college. UCS holds support groups, such as Asian Voices, Black Voices, and Rainbow Group for students with shared identities to get together and support those who hold identities similar to their own.

Outside VCU

Professional Athletes and Mental Health

Remember that you are not alone in your struggle. Many athletes at a collegiate and professional level have spoken out about their mental health struggles.