Developed 2021 by Quinn DeStefano, OTD Student
Reviewed 2021 by Aaron Grusonik, MA, Psy.D
Reviewed 2021 by Aaron Grusonik, MA, Psy.D
Supporting Others
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) encourages positive mental health and considers mental health to be an increasing area of concern for college athletes. Participation in college sports supports positive mental health in many ways, including facilitating traits such as self-confidence, connectedness, social support, and positive self-esteem.1 However, the sport experience also includes a widespread number of stressors impacting mental well-being. Athletes experience the same stressors that other students experience, with the added demands of sports and added visibility to others through social media. In order to enable student-athletes to perform at their best socially, academically, and athletically, an important goal for every athletic department is to cultivate a positive environment for mental health and well-being.2 Supporting fellow teammates is important for fostering a positive mental health culture at MSU. When a teammate is having a tough time, there are helpful actions you can take to support your teammate, and unhelpful actions to avoid. Keep in mind, however, that you are only human, and you will not always have the perfect thing to say. That's okay, just do your best!
Brené Brown on Empathy
References
1. Ryan, H., Gayles, J. G., & Bell, L. (2018). Student‐athletes and mental health experiences. New Directions for Student Services, 163, 67–79. doi: 10.1002/ss.20271
2. Egan, K. (2019). Supporting mental health and well-being among student athletes. Clinical Sports Medicine, 38, 537-544. doi: 10.1016/j.csm.2019.05.003
3. Mental Health First Aid International. (2015). Mental health first aid USA (1st edition). Washington DC: National Council for Behavioral Health.
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Brené Brown on Empathy
Helpful Actions
- Listen to your intuition
- If you think your teammate seems "off," trust yourself. Ask them how they are doing and let them know you care.
- Candidly point out any changes that you've noticed or concerns you have for your teammate.
- Approach them privately
- Be honest and transparent
- It's okay to say something like, "I've noticed you seem withdrawn during practice lately and I'm worried about you."
- It's okay to gently press them to open up – "no, how are you really doing?"
- Listen to what your teammate has to say.
- Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can do is listen – let them get things off their chest.
- Don't interrupt. Let them finish their thought completely before you speak.
- Make good eye contact.
- Try to normalize/validate their experience.
- "That's really challenging," "You're not alone," or "I have felt down before too, and it's really tough."
- Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can do is listen – let them get things off their chest.
- It is okay to ask them if they have considered suicide or have thought about killing themselves – this will not give them any new ideas or "make them suicidal"
- They will likely feel relieved that someone asked because it is extremely difficult to volunteer this information.
- Asking the teammate candidly is a great way to open the door for discussion, and to refer them to the help they need.
- If they are not considering suicide, they will simply reassure you that they are not a suicide risk.
- Person-first language: avoid saying, "committing suicide," or "are you suicidal?"
- We commit crimes, not mental illnesses
- We are people experiencing mental illness, not "the mentally ill" or "the suicidal"
- Instead, say "thinking of suicide," "attempted suicide," or "killed themselves."
- They will likely feel relieved that someone asked because it is extremely difficult to volunteer this information.
- Refer them to resources (you can even offer to go with them if they need support)
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- National Crisis Text Line: 741741
- Aaron Grusonik, MA, Psy.D: aaron.grusonik@montana.edu, 406.994.6373
- MSU Counseling & Psychological Services: 406-994-4531
- On-Campus Resources
- Off-Campus Resources
- Emergency line: 911
- Encourage self-care
- What do you do to take care of yourself?
- Coloring, going for a walk, positive self-talk, baths, dinner out with friends, poetry, music, sitting quietly in the park, etc.
- See: Stress Management for some ideas, or The Big List of Self-Care Activities (PDF)
- What do you do to take care of yourself?
Unhelpful Actions
- Becoming too involved
- Being your teammate's therapist: you aren't trained to provide therapy, so don't put that kind of pressure on yourself.
- Forcing them to get help: getting help is ultimately their choice, and there is no need to frog-march them to CPS.
- Invalidating their distress by saying things like, "Well, at least you don't have cancer," or "Everyone gets sad sometimes," or "Just think of all the people who are worse off than you," or "You're being a little dramatic."
- Promising confidentiality
- Don't promise your teammate confidentiality, because if they are a danger to themselves or to others, you will need to report it.
- Making it about yourself
- If someone shares challenging mental health concerns with you, let them share. It is not helpful to say something like, "I have experienced the same thing, and I know exactly how you feel, let me tell you all about it..."
Training Opportunities
- Mental Health First Aid: MHFA is an 8-hour training on mental health literacy, developed in Australia and adapted for American culture. MHFA prepares participants to respond with greater knowledge, confidence, and compassion when a fellow adult is experiencing a mental health problem or is having a mental health crisis.
- Required and Other Mental Health Training: Kognito, QPR, and wellness presentations
References
1. Ryan, H., Gayles, J. G., & Bell, L. (2018). Student‐athletes and mental health experiences. New Directions for Student Services, 163, 67–79. doi: 10.1002/ss.20271
2. Egan, K. (2019). Supporting mental health and well-being among student athletes. Clinical Sports Medicine, 38, 537-544. doi: 10.1016/j.csm.2019.05.003
3. Mental Health First Aid International. (2015). Mental health first aid USA (1st edition). Washington DC: National Council for Behavioral Health.
