What Does “Mental Health” Mean To You?
Mental health is a critical part of a person’s well-being. Your mental fitness can determine an array of things in your life — your decision-making, your social network, your appetite, your motivation levels, and well, pretty much anything. When it comes to athletes, mental health can play a significant role in their athletic performance, attitude, team-spirit, and dedication. Unfortunately, mental health is often put on the back burner in sports and it can be stigmatizing for an athlete to talk about any difficulties they may face.
We are working to change this culture and normalize the conversation around mental health in sports. We aspire to live in a world where mental health training is the norm for athletes around the world and it is not a big deal to talk about it or speak up.
As part of our work, we asked several athletes what mental health meant to them and this is what they had to say:
Athletes do recognize that mental health is associated with “well-being”, feeling “healthy”, and involves “emotions”. It is also interesting to note that several of them felt that it needs prioritizing and has physical consequences. Mental health definitely does not mean the same thing to everyone, but one thing is common throughout — the culture around mental health needs to change.
Are you an athlete who wants to be a part of the mental health revolution?
Do our words resonate with your beliefs?
Do you feel that the culture around mental health in sports needs to change?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above, we welcome you to get involved with us! Contribute your voice by filling out our survey (link on the home-page) or reach out to find out more!
The TEAM Foundation of Boston is a non-profit startup working to address the mental health needs of athletes in the greater Boston area. Find out more at www.teamfoundationboston.org
