Supporting Others
Helpful Actions
- Listen to your intuition
- If you think an athlete 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 the athlete.
- Approach them privately
- Be honest and transparent
- It’s okay to say “I’ve noticed you seem withdrawn from practice lately and I’m worried about you.”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 the athlete has to say.
- Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can do is listen.
- Don’t interrupt
- Make good eye contact
- Try to normalize/validate their experience.
- It is okay to ask them if they have considered suicide – 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.
- If they are not considering suicide, they will simply reassure you that they are not at risk
- Person-first language: avoid saying “committing suicide” or “Are you suicidal?”
- Instead say “thinking of suicide” or “attempted suicide”
- Refer them to resources (you can even offer to go with them if they need support)
- National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text): 988
- Local mental health agency number: 406-252-5658 (Mental Health Center)
- MSUB Student Health Services M-F 8:00-5:00; 406-657-2153
- Danny Desin, CMPC, sports psychologist: desin@mtpeakperformance.com, (406) 794-2048
- Emergency line: 911
- Encourage self-care
- Offer Assistance
- Treat an athlete who is struggling with mental health challenges the same way you would treat an athlete who is physically ill. You could get together and send them flowers, have one-on-one practice, or sign a card.
Unhelpful Actions
- Becoming too involved
- You are not your athlete’s therapist: you generally aren’t trained to provide therapy, so don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself.
- Forcing them to get help: it’s ultimately their choice to get help or not, and there is no need to frog-march them to CPS.
- Invalidating their distress by saying things like “Everyone gets sad sometimes”, “just think of all the people who are worse off than you”, or “You’re being a little dramatic.”
- Promising confidentiality
- Don’t promise athletes confidentiality, because if they are a danger to themselves or 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.”
On-Campus Resources
Student Health Services
Students who are enrolled for 7 or more credits can use the clinical services at no extra charge. Student Health Counseling provides counseling, consultation, outreach, and education to MSU Billings students, faculty, and staff. They offer this to promote and enhance student’s academic success, mental health, and personal development as well as promote a culture of positive mental health at MSU Billings.
Contact: (406) 657-2153
Location: 2nd Floor, Petro Hall
Hours: 8:00a-5:00p Mon – Fri
MSUB Athletics Sports Psychologist
Danny Desin provides mental performance sessions for all student-athletes and teams within the MSU Billings athletic department. Desin works with and educates student-athletes and teams on a variety of topics within sports and performance psychology.
Contact:
ddesin@mtpeakperformance.com or contact your
coach or athletic trainer to get in touch with Danny.
Off-Campus Resources
National Crisis Line: 988
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text.
South Central Regional Mental Health Center
At the Mental Health Center
, they have over 90 qualified psychiatrists, therapists, nurses, substance abuse counselors, case managers, and support staff who offer the most comprehensive mental health and substance abuse evaluation and treatment services in South Central Montana.
Contact: (406) 252-5658
Nami Billings
Nami Billings is dedicated to helping and supporting volunteer leaders as they raise awareness about mental health conditions and provide local education, support groups, and community education for those living with mental challenges and the loved ones who care for them. Nami Billings provides all services
FREE OF CHARGE due to the generosity of the Billings community.
Contact: (406) 256-2001
Location: 955 Broadwater Square Billings, MT 59101
Anxiety
Anxiety
This content is for informative purposes only and is not intended to be used to diagnose a disorder. If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, please contact MSUB student health services at
406-657-2153 or your team physician.
Student-Athletes & Anxiety
About one-third of male student-athletes and one–half of female student-athletes were reported to be impacted by anxiety. Elite athletes including professional, Olympic, and university level experience anxiety disorders at an 8.6% rate. A variety of factors play a role in anxiety exacerbation such as career uncertainty or dissatisfaction, injury, pressure to perform, and public scrutiny.
Athlete Experiences with Anxiety
Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety
* Adopted from
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) display excessive anxiety or worry, most days for at least 6 months, about several things such as personal health, work, social interactions, and everyday routine life circumstances. Fear and anxiety can cause significant problems in areas of their life, such as social interactions, school, and work.
Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms include:
- Feeling restless, wound-up, or on edge
- Being easily fatigued
- Having difficulty concentrating; mind going blank
- Being irritable
- Having muscle tension
- Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
- Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, restlessness, or unsatisfying sleep
Panic Disorder
People with panic disorder have recurrent unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that come on quickly and reach their peak within minutes. Attacks can occur unexpectedly or can be brought on by a trigger, such as a feared object or situation.
During a panic attack, people may experience:
- Heart palpitations, a pounding heartbeat, or an accelerated heart rate
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Sensations of shortness of breath, smothering, or choking
- Feelings of impending doom
- Feelings of being out of control
People with panic disorder often worry about when the next attack will happen and actively try to prevent future attacks by avoiding places, situations, or behaviors they associate with panic attacks. Worry about panic attacks, and the effort spent trying to avoid attacks, cause significant problems in various areas of the person's life, including the development of agoraphobia (see below).
Phobia-related disorders
A phobia is an intense fear of—or aversion to—specific objects or situations. Although it can be realistic to be anxious in some circumstances, the fear people with phobias feel is out of proportion to the actual danger caused by the situation or object.
People with a phobia:
- May have an irrational or excessive worry about encountering the feared object or situation
- Take active steps to avoid the feared object or situation
- Experience immediate intense anxiety upon encountering the feared object or situation
- Endure unavoidable objects and situations with intense anxiety
There are several types of phobias and phobia-related disorders:
Specific Phobias (sometimes called simple phobias): As the name suggests, people who have a specific phobia have an intense fear of, or feel intense anxiety about, specific types of objects or situations. Some examples of specific phobias include the fear of:
- Flying
- Heights
- Specific animals, such as spiders, dogs, or snakes
- Receiving injections
- Blood
Social anxiety disorder (previously called social phobia): People with social anxiety disorder have a general intense fear of, or anxiety toward, social or performance situations. They worry that actions or behaviors associated with their anxiety will be negatively evaluated by others, leading them to feel embarrassed. This worry often causes people with social anxiety to avoid social situations. Social anxiety disorder can manifest in a range of situations, such as within the workplace or the school environment.
Agoraphobia: People with agoraphobia have an intense fear of two or more of the following situations:
- Using public transportation
- Being in open spaces
- Being in enclosed spaces
- Standing in line or being in a crowd
- Being outside of the home alone
People with agoraphobia often avoid these situations, in part, because they think being able to leave might be difficult or impossible in the event they have panic-like reactions or other embarrassing symptoms. In the most severe form of agoraphobia, an individual can become housebound.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation anxiety is often thought of as something that only children deal with; however, adults can also be diagnosed with a separation anxiety disorder. People who have separation anxiety disorder have fears about being parted from people to whom they are attached. They often worry that some sort of harm or something untoward will happen to their attachment figures while they are separated. This fear leads them to avoid being separated from their attachment figures and to avoid being alone. People with separation anxiety may have nightmares about being separated from attachment figures or experience physical symptoms when separation occurs or is anticipated.
Are you experiencing feelings of Anxiety?
Depression
Depression
This content is for informative purposes only and is not intended to be used to diagnose a disorder. If you think you may have a depression disorder, please contact MSUB student health services at
406-657-2153 or your team physician.
Student-Athletes and Depression
Depression is one of the most common mental health diagnoses among general college students. About 21% of male student-athletes and 28% of female student-athletes reported that they “felt depressed in the last 12 months. Among student-athletes, several potential depression triggers such as injury, performance failure, aging, psychosocial stressors, and retirement from their sport. Depression is also dangerous because suicidal ideation can happen with depressive symptoms. Among college athletes, suicide ranks 4
th as a leading cause of death.
Athlete Experiences with Depression
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
*Adapted from
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml#part_145397
If you have been experiencing some of the following signs and symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, you may be experiencing depression:
- Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
- Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism
- Irritability
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
- Decreased energy or fatigue
- Moving or talking more slowly
- Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
- Appetite and/or weight changes
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
- Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment
Everyone is different, so not everyone who experiences depression has every symptom. Some people experience only a few symptoms while others may experience many. Several persistent symptoms in addition to low mood are required for a diagnosis of major depression. The severity and frequency of symptoms and how long they last will vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness. Symptoms may also vary depending on the stage of the illness.
Some forms of depression develop under unique circumstances or are otherwise different from clinical depression. These include:
- Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia) is a depressed mood that lasts for at least two years. A person diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder may have episodes of major depression along with periods of less severe symptoms, but symptoms must last for two years to be considered a persistent depressive disorder.
- Postpartum depression is much more serious than the "baby blues" (relatively mild depressive and anxiety symptoms that typically clear within two weeks after delivery) that many women experience after giving birth. Women with postpartum depression experience full-blown major depression during pregnancy or after delivery (postpartum depression). The feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that accompany postpartum depression may make it difficult for these new mothers to complete daily care activities for themselves and/or their babies.
- Psychotic depression occurs when a person has severe depression plus some form of psychosis, such as having disturbing false fixed beliefs (delusions) or hearing or seeing upsetting things that others cannot hear or see (hallucinations). The psychotic symptoms typically have a depressive "theme," such as delusions of guilt, poverty, or illness.
- Seasonal affective disorder is characterized by the onset of depression during the winter months when there is less natural sunlight. This depression generally lifts during spring and summer. Winter depression, typically accompanied by social withdrawal, increased sleep, and weight gain, predictably returns every year in seasonal affective disorder.
- Bipolar disorder is different from depression, but it is included in this list is because someone with bipolar disorder experiences episodes of extremely low moods that meet the criteria for major depression (called "bipolar depression"). But a person with bipolar disorder also experiences extreme high – euphoric or irritable – moods called "mania" or a less severe form called "hypomania."
Are You Experiencing Depressive Symptoms?
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
This content is for informative purposes only and is not intended to be used to diagnose a disorder. If you think you may have an alcohol use disorder, please contact MSUB student health services at
406-657-2153 or your team physician.
Student-Athletes and Alcohol Use
Student-athletes are considered to be at greater risk for abusing alcohol than their non-athlete peers. Athletes may also experience more frequent negative consequences of substance abuse. For example, the “hangover effect” after a night of heavy drinking can reduce athlete performance by 11.4%. Student-athletes with the heaviest drinking patterns are also 6.15 times more likely to experience unintentional alcohol-related injuries compared to other athletes, including injuries that may be season – or career-ending.
Athlete Experiences with Substance Use
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder
According to the DSM–5, the current version of the DSM, anyone meeting any two of the 11 criteria during the same 12-month period receives a diagnosis of AUD. The severity of AUD—mild, moderate, or severe—is based on the number of criteria met. To assess whether you or a loved one may have AUD, here are some questions to ask. In the past year, have you:
- Had times when you ended up drinking more, or longer than you intended?
- More than once wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn't?
- Spent a lot of time drinking? Or being sick or getting over the aftereffects?
- Experienced craving — a strong need, or urge, to drink?
- Found that drinking — or being sick from drinking — often interfered with taking care of your home or family? Or caused job troubles? Or school problems?
- Continued to drink even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?
- Give up or cut back on activities that were important or interesting to you, or gave you pleasure, to drink.
- More than once gotten into situations while or after drinking that increased your chances of getting hurt (such as driving, swimming, using machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or having unsafe sex)?
- Continued to drink even though it was making you feel depressed or anxious or adding to another health problem? Or after having had a memory blackout?
- Had to drink much more than you once did to get the effect you want? Or did you find that your usual number of drinks had much less effect than before?
- Found that when the effects of alcohol were wearing off, you had withdrawal symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, nausea, or sweating. Or sensed things that were not there?
If you have any of these symptoms, your drinking may already be a cause for concern. The more symptoms you have, the more urgent the need for change. A health professional can conduct a formal assessment of your symptoms to see if AUD is present.
Resources:
Eating Disorders
This content is for informative purposes only and is not intended to be used to diagnose a disorder. If you think you may have an eating disorder, please contact MSUB student health services at
406-657-2153 or your team physician.
Student-Athletes and Disordered Eating
In the health domain, student-athletes are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders. Developing and maintaining healthy eating habits and body image are important for athlete well-being and performance in academics and sports. Athletic injuries are a key risk factor for disordered eating. Typical emotional responses to injury may include sadness, isolation, irritation, lack of motivation, anger, frustration, changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, and disengagement. In the event of an injury, athletes can restrict their caloric intake because they feel they “do not deserve to eat” due to their injury.
Athlete Experience with Eating Disorders:
Signs and Symptoms of Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
People with anorexia nervosa may see themselves as overweight, even if they are dangerously underweight. People with anorexia nervosa typically weigh themselves repeatedly, severely restrict the amount of food they eat, often exercise excessively, and/or may attempt to lose weight by forcing themselves to vomit or using laxatives to lose weight.
Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental health disorder. While many people with this disorder die due to complications associated with starvation, others die of suicide.
Symptoms include:
- Extremely restricted eating
- Extreme thinness (emaciation)
- A relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight
- Intense fear of gaining weight
- Distorted body image, a self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape, or a denial of the seriousness of low body weight
Other symptoms may develop over time, including:
- Thinning of the bones (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
- Mild anemia and muscle wasting and weakness
- Brittle hair and nails
- Dry and yellowish skin
- Growth of fine hair all over the body (lanugo)
- Severe constipation
- Low blood pressure slowed breathing and pulse
- Damage to the structure and function of the heart
- Brain damage
- Multi-organ failure
- A drop in internal body temperature, causing a person to feel cold all the time
- Lethargy, sluggishness, or feeling tired all the time
- Infertility.
Bulimia Nervosa
People with bulimia nervosa have recurrent and frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food and feeling as though they lack control over the episodes. This binge eating is followed by behavior that compensates for the overeating. This may include forced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, excessive exercise, or a combination. People with bulimia nervosa may be slightly underweight, normal weight, or over overweight.
Signs & Symptoms:
- Chronically inflamed and sore throat
- Swollen salivary glands in the neck and jaw area
- Worn tooth enamel and increasingly sensitive and decaying teeth as a result of exposure to stomach acid
- Acid reflux disorder and other gastrointestinal problems
- Intestinal distress and irritation from laxative abuse
- Severe dehydration from purging of fluids
- Electrolyte imbalance (too low or too high levels of sodium, calcium, potassium, and other minerals) which can lead to stroke or heart attack.
Binge-eating disorder
People with binge-eating disorder have recurrent and frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food, with a lack of control over the episodes. Unlike bulimia nervosa however, periods of binge-eating are not followed by purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. Thus, people with binge-eating disorders often are overweight or obese. Binge-eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the U.S.
Signs & Symptoms:
- Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as 2 hours
- Eating even when you're full or not hungry
- Eating fast during binge episodes
- Eating until you're uncomfortably full
- Eating alone or in secret to avoid embarrassment
- Feeling distressed, ashamed, or guilty about your eating
- Frequently dieting, possibly without weight loss.
Orthorexia
Orthorexia is defined as an obsession with healthful or proper eating. It is not formally recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) but has been on the rise in recognition since the term was coined in 1998. It is not harmful to be health-conscious or to be aware of the nutritional quality of the food you eat. This can be very helpful for wellness and performance. However, becoming excessively fixated on eating properly or healthfully can be harmful to an athlete's overall well-being. Because Orthorexia is not a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5, it is up for debate whether Orthorexia is a stand-alone diagnosis, a subtype of other eating disorders such as anorexia, or an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Orthorexia is a serious health and wellness concern for affected athletes.
Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia:
- Compulsive checking of ingredient lists and nutritional labels,
- An increase in concern about the health of ingredients,
- Cutting out an increasing number of food groups (all sugar, all carbs, all dairy, all meat, all animal products),
- An inability to eat anything but a narrow group of foods that are deemed 'healthy' or 'pure,'
- Unusual interest in the health of what others are eating,
- Spending hours per day thinking about what food might be served at upcoming events,
- Showing high levels of distress when 'safe' or 'healthy' foods aren't available,
- Obsessive following of food and 'healthy lifestyle' blogs on Twitter and Instagram,
- Body image concerns may or may not be present.
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S)
RED-S is an often-unrecognized disorder that can include low
energy availability (inadequate caloric intake); with or without disordered eating;
amenorrhea (lack of menstrual periods); and
low bone mineral density. Inadequate caloric intake can occur as a result of poor eating habits and too intense exercise. This under-consumption of calories can happen intentionally or unintentionally and negatively impacts wellness and athletic performance. RED-S is typically found among physically active persons, especially among athletes with a competitive nature and strong sense of discipline. Competitive athletes (such as those competing at a collegiate level) may be at an increased risk compared to more casual athletes due to the rigorous training schedule and the "play-to-win" nature of elite sports. Athletes who compete in endurance sports (such as cross-country running and Nordic ski), aesthetic sports (such as cheer and spirit squads), and sports that require formfitting uniforms are at an increased risk for RED-S. Further, an emphasis on a certain athletic "look" and the belief that carrying less weight will universally improve performance in sports increases the risk for RED-S.
Impact on Performance
RED-S can negatively impact sports performance and overall wellness among athletes.
7 The lowered energy availability impairs performance because the muscles are not fueled properly. This is universal across sports. If under-fueling continues after initial signs of fatigue, the skeletal muscle will reduce in size because the body begins to break it down. It is also important to note that every organ in the body requires energy to keep operating properly. This includes the brain, which means that under-fueling also impacts the athlete's ability to concentrate on academic work and athletics. This low concentration can increase the athlete's risk for injury and then prolong the injury recovery time. Next, amenorrhea (loss of menstrual period) among female athletes signals a change in the body's intricate and complicated hormone system. Under-fueling can trigger lower estrogen production. The most recognizable health effect of low estrogen is bone loss, which can result in bone stress fractures. Please note that amenorrhea is NOT a normal part of athletic training, no matter what sport the athlete competes in. It is a sign of improper fueling. Finally, low bone mineral density is a trademark sign of RED-S and can place the athlete at high risk for injuries. Athletes with repeated stress fractures should be evaluated further because this is a red flag for RED-S.
Signs & Symptoms
1. Physical/Medical Signs and Symptoms
- Amenorrhea
- Dehydration
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Hypothermia (cold intolerance)
- Cardiac abnormalities: bradycardia (low heart rate), orthostasis (abnormal changes in heart rate and/or blood pressure during positional changes)
- Stress fractures (and overuse injuries)
- Significant weight loss
- Muscle cramps, weakness, or fatigue
- Dental and gum problems.
2. Psychological/Behavioral Signs and Symptoms
- Anxiety or depression
- Claims of "feeling fat" despite being thin
- Exercising beyond what's expected/required
- Excessive use of the restroom
- Unfocused, difficulty concentrating
- Preoccupation with weight and eating
- Avoidance of eating and eating situations
- Use of laxatives, diet pills, etc.
Female Athlete Triad
The female athlete triad is part of RED-S under another name, and refers to a combination of 3 clinical entities found in young athletes who have a menstrual cycle:
- Menstrual dysfunction: Loss or irregularity of menstrual cycle,
- Low energy availability (with or without an eating disorder): lacking the energy to complete daily tasks,
- Decreased bone mineral density (osteopenia): weak/brittle bones resulting from loss of bone mass.
In women who compete in sports that emphasize aesthetics or leanness, such as ballet or running, the prevalence of secondary loss of menstrual cycle can be as high as 69%, compared with 2% to 5% in the general population. In addition, disordered eating often associated with low energy availability in the female athlete triad has serious psychological implications, including depression, low self-esteem, and various anxiety disorders. Many athletes with low bone density and/or menstrual irregularity also experience an increased risk of stress fractures. Female athletes with menstrual dysfunction have a 2 to 4 times greater risk for stress fracture than their peers with regular menstrual cycles. The female athlete triad negatively impacts well-being and performance among student-athletes, and it is important to seek help and take the necessary steps to reach recovery. No matter how severe the symptoms stemming from the components of the triad are, healthcare professionals, coaches, and nutritionists involved in these female athletes' care need to be aware of the risks and potential consequences of the syndrome.
For more information:
female athlete triad
Do I Have an Eating Disorder?
Disordered Eating Screening
Resources
Competition Preparation
Diaphragmatic Breathing (DBR) Exercise
- Helps reduce stress and anxiety
- Can be used before, during, or after a competition.
- A series of deep breathing for relaxation.
Basic Diaphragmatic Breathing (DBR) Exercise:
YouTube Tutorial
- Lie down on your back or stand up in a comfortable position.
- Place one hand on your belly and one on your chest.
- Breathe deeply through your nose, pushing your belly out (your hand should move out with your belly). Try to only move the hand on your belly, not the hand on your chest.
- Breathe out through pursed lips, as though you are blowing out a candle.
- Take 3 to 10 breaths – however many your body needs.
- Notice how your body and brain feel at the end of the exercise.
Visualization / Guided Imagery
- A clinical technique to overcome anxiety to help with sports performance.
- Can be done before practice/competition, or in between matches/games.
- This is a mental rehearsal of sports performance that can sharpen focus and restore confidence.
Sample Visualizations:
You can make your own visualization, specific to your competition and the goals you have. You can write your visualization down, make a voice memo of it on your phone, and listen to it before practice and/or competitions. It would be best to plug in your headphones, find a comfortable space with few distractions (or close your eyes), and incorporate deep "belly" breaths into your script at least at the beginning and end.
- Relaxation:
- Sports Performance:
Mindset
- Music:
- We have all experienced the power of music to alter our mindset. Music can get us out of our seats and dancing, or it can relax us to the point of falling asleep. Music can energize, relax, calm, inspire, psych us up, and more, depending on the type of music. Some people listen to calming music before a competition because they feel more focused with reduced pre-game anxiety. Meanwhile, other athletes need upbeat music to get into an amped-up "fight" mode. Find pre-game sounds that work best for you and add them to your pre-competition routine to help you get into an optimal competition mindset.
- Positive Self-Talk
- Sample positive self-talk statements:
- I own this.
- This is going to be a good learning opportunity for me.
- I am a human, not a machine. (This can be helpful for recovery from perceived failure)
- I have the skills I need to compete today.
- I feel mentally strong, I can keep a positive attitude throughout this competition.
- I am a warrior.
- I can stay focused under pressure.
- More about positive self-talk:
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Designed to induce feelings of deep relaxation to help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety to improve overall mental health.
- To follow a 12-minute Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise: YouTube Tutorial
- More resources to help reduce stress:
Sleep
Why Do I Need Sleep?
Sleep is one of the most effective recovery strategies available to athletes. Here is why:
- The body repairs itself during sleep. One notable hormone related to athletic recovery is growth hormone. Growth hormone plays an essential role in muscle growth, muscle repair, and bone building. 95% of this growth hormone is released in the body during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. This means that sleep is the time when the body repairs and restores itself after working hard in the gym.
- Sleep improves your memory and helps your body learn new motor patterns. The rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage plays an important role in cognitive function. REM sleep is associated with memory permanence and learning motor skills. The amount and quality of sleep the night after a memory task have been positively correlated to the extent of recall and retention the next day. In other words, sleep helps the brain learn new plays and the muscles learn new movement patterns and solidify adjustments to form after a hard day of practice.
- Sleep deprivation directly hinders athletic performance. Research shows that post-sleep deprivation, athletes showed significantly slower reaction times than their baseline. In another study, sleep-deprived athletes demonstrated decreased alertness and accuracy in a dart-throwing exercise. The serving accuracy of tennis players was impaired after sleep restriction. Reduced isometric force (force against resistance) and impaired selective attention (ability to filter out crowd noises and other distractions during competition) were also noted in sleep-deprived karate athletes. Over and over, research shows that sleep-deprived athletes are weaker, slower, less accurate, and less focused than athletes with adequate sleep.
How Much Sleep Do I Need?
Training athletes need about 1 more hour compared to an average adult. The rule of thumb is 8-10 hours per night!
How Can I Get Better Sleep? (read more here)
- Make a sleep schedule!
- Set a fixed wake-up time
- Prioritize sleep
- Make gradual adjustments to get into a healthy sleep routine!
- Follow an evening routine
- Budget about 30 minutes to wind down.
- Dim the lights
- Put away the electronics (approximately 30-60 minutes of device–free time before bed!!)
- Your bed is for sleeping.
- Don’t toss and turn
- Adapt healthy habits during the day
- Get out in the sun
- Be physically active
- Don’t smoke cigarettes, vape, or chew
- Reduce alcohol consumption
- Save caffeine for the morning
- Don’t eat dinner too late.
How Do I Know If I Have a Sleep Disorder?
Mindfulness
Student-Athletes and Mindfulness
- Mindfulness is beneficial for reducing injury risk, alleviating stress and negative emotions, and improving well-being.
- Increasing mindfulness and positive thinking can help athletes act with their values, accept observations, and demonstrate mental flexibility.
Mindfulness Exercises
Just like building strength or endurance, mindfulness takes practice. The more you practice, the better you will get at applying mindfulness practice to competition, academics, sports practice, and other areas of life. Here are some mindfulness exercises. More exercises can be found
HERE
- The Raisin Meditation: This is a core mindfulness exercise and may be a good place to start. In this exercise, you will savor a raisin using mindfulness techniques. If you don't like raisins, you can choose another small piece of food such as a mint, piece of candy, or other dried fruits.
- The Walking Meditation: In this exercise, you practice mindfulness during a short, 10-minute walk. If you leave a bit early for class and walk alone, you can easily incorporate this one into your daily routine.
- Mindful Breathing: Spend 15 minutes paying attention to the sensations of your natural breath, without changing or judging it.
- Self-Compassion Break: Take 5 minutes to think of a situation causing your stress (performance anxiety, body composition, schoolwork, etc.), practice three main components in this exercise: mindfulness, a feeling of common humanity, and self-kindness.
- How Would You Treat A Friend?: This mindful self-compassion exercise can be helpful to manage situations of stress, guilt, anxiety, or fear. People often find it more natural to be compassionate toward others than to be compassionate toward themselves. So, in a challenging situation, one way to increase self-compassion is to imagine what one would say to a friend in a similar position, and then direct those same sentiments toward oneself.
Free Mindfulness-Based Meditation Apps
Having a mindfulness app can make mindfulness practice more accessible to you and give you more options for mindfulness exercises. You can even set up a reminder alarm on your phone to do your mindfulness practice.
Yoga
Yoga can be a helpful stress relief technique. It incorporates breathing and physical exercise, both of which are great stress relievers. Yoga exercises also may be combined with conceptual grounding, breathing, and meditation exercises. As a busy athlete, you may not have the time or energy to do a 60-minute yoga session - and that is completely okay! If you have 5 minutes for yoga, then even 5 minutes will be helpful in stress management.
Yoga YouTube videos:
Free yoga apps:
More About Mindfulness
Goal Writing
Why Should I Write a Goal?
Goals help us stay focused and help reduce procrastination. They also help give us small, achievable steps to take to ultimately reach our dreams. Making goals and meeting them is less stressful than going rogue because it organizes your existence and gives consistent feedback about your progress.
What Do I Write a Goal About?
- Athletic performance
- Finding a romantic partner
- Learning how to cook
- Keeping your house clean
- Taking care of your mental health
- Reducing stress
- Improving your academic grades
Writing Goals
Using S.M.A.R.T. goals is a commonly recognized goal-writing method. A good goal will incorporate each of these components.
S:
Specific: provide details about your goal such as who, what, when, where, how, etc.
M:
Measurable: how will you evaluate whether or not you met your goal?
A:
Attainable: make sure your goal is within your abilities
R:
Relevant: how does your goal align with the dream/aspiration you have?
T:
Time-based: give yourself an end-date.
Examples:
- In order to pay for my preferred lifestyle, I will obtain a job as an electrical engineer within three months after graduating with my Bachelor of Engineering.
- To become a better cook, I will make delicious strawberry crepes for myself within three weeks by attempting one different recipe each weekend.
- To develop improved cleaning habits, I will keep my apartment spotless for the next 4 weeks by cleaning the floors, kitchen, bedroom, and bathrooms 1 time each Thursday at 6:30 pm.
Goal Tips
- Start low and go slow
- Don’t give up on the goal if you have a hiccup
- You can change the goal
- Keep yourself successful
- Write your goals down
- Celebrate your accomplishments
Goal Writing Worksheet
Video Tutorials on Goal Writing
Goal Setting
A Complete Guide to Goal Setting
Coping with Injuries
Normal responses to injuries may involve many emotions such as sadness, isolation, irritation, lack of motivation, anger, frustration, changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, and disengagement. With healthy coping strategies and gradual injury recovery, these responses tend to resolve over time.
Coping with Season-Ending Injury
Resilience Training
Resilience is the ability of a person to effectively cope with, adjust to, or recover from stress or adversity.
Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Coping is the process we go through to adjust stressful demands of everyday life.
- Support: talk about the stressful event to a trusted individual.
- Stay involved: Keep coming to practice during an injury recovery, even if it is to manage the team. Get involved with Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), spend time with your teammates, and/or check in with your coaches.
- Relaxation: Relaxation activities such as mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, taking a bath, or listening to soft music.
- Problem-solving: Identify what is causing your stress and come up with potential solutions for effectively managing it and putting those into action!
- Humor: Making light of a stressful situation can help people keep perspective and prevent the situation from becoming too overwhelming.
- Physical activity: Exercise can serve as a natural and healthy form of stress relief.
- Focus on the things you can control: Focusing on the things you can control is a helpful way to manage stressors, especially when the stressor itself is out of control.
Am I Coping Well?
More About Coping
Exam Preparation
Study Habits
- Avoid cramming
- Study smart – don’t re-read your notes. Try mixing it up!
- Be diligent about your work – plan ahead when you are going to miss class for athletics and ask a classmate for notes
- Get plenty of sleep – sleep is the time when the brain synthesizes information, so learning is “finalized” during sleep.
- Do not multitask when you are studying
- Use your resources – go to office hours, find a peer to study with, and use the academic support center.
- More about Studying:
Identify and address Cognitive Distortions (PDF)
Cognitive distortions are thought processes that are unrealistic and are interfering with the ability to perform tasks, such as taking an exam. Look through this
worksheet (PDF) to decide if you have any cognitive distortions before or during exams. An example of a cognitive distortion is the unrealistic thought that "I am going to fail this exam, and when I do, I will fail the class, lose my eligibility, and drop out of school." This thought would be classified as magnification/catastrophization because this thought assumes the worst in a very unrealistic way. The good news is that you can challenge these thoughts and overcome them using the TIC-TOC method.
Worksheet: TIC-TOC Technique (PDF)
The TIC-TOC Technique is a cognitive behavioral therapy tool and is one way to address and overcome cognitive distortions. Identify your Task-Interfering-Cognition (TIC), which is the thought interfering with your task performance. Then, look at the
cognitive distortions (PDF) list, and decide which distortion the thought is (it can be multiple). Finally, challenge your TIC by writing a Task-Oriented-Cognition (TOC). A TOC is a positive and action-oriented statement, to replace the distortion. When a TIC comes to mind before/during the exam, repeat the TOC to yourself.
Resources to Cope with Test Anxiety
Taking the Exam
- Look over the entire exam and make a plan of attack
- Read the directions thoroughly
- Use a process of elimination for multiple-choice and matching questions
- Answer the easy questions first
- If you get stuck on a question, mark it for later and move on!
- Take the exam one question at a time
- For essay questions, write a short outline before getting started.
- For math-based problems show your work.
- At the end of the exam (if there is time) go back through your exam.
- Finally, if you feel overwhelmed take 3 deep breaths, and soldier on! You can do this.
Post – Exam
- Keep your notes – your notes may be helpful for the final exam, other classes, and/or later in your profession
- Talk to your professor – if you struggled with the exam talk to your professor. Also, your education is expensive – so get your money’s worth!
- Review your test preparation strategies
- Treat yourself!
Time Management & Organization
With school, athletics, friendships, family relationships, romantic relationships, self-care, and other obligations, life gets busy. It can be very overwhelming to manage all of these commitments. Oftentimes when we get busy, self-care tasks fall by the wayside. For this reason, time management skills are important to get everything done each day, manage stress, and leave time for self-care. Here are some tips to help you manage your time.
- Make a master schedule by using a paper planner, Google Calendar, or Microsoft Outlook Calendar.
- Block out exams, homework, study time, self-care time, practice, games, etc.
- Make To-Do Lists: Pick the easiest tasks to do and cross them off as you go. You make them daily, weekly, or however, you see best fit for you.
- Prioritize Tasks: For each item on your list ask yourself: is this something that I must get done? Then you can label the tasks (1), (2), (3); A, B, C, etc.
- Organize Your Work: Organizing your work will help keep assignments, notes, and exam times straight.
- Computer Organization: Often, notes, lectures, and assignments are electronic. Having your files scattered across the desktop can be overwhelming and make it more difficult to stay on track with schoolwork. Here is an example of how to organize your classes:
- In documents, make a folder for the semester (example: Spring 2024) then make a folder for each class within that folder (example: Physics I Philosophy). Within each "class" folder, keep your notes organized according to the exam. You could have something like, "Exam 1 and Assignments." Each time you go to class, download the lecture, take notes on it, and save it in the folder to which it belongs.
- Physical organization: If most of your notes are taken in a notebook or on printed-out lectures, it's time to invest in a set of folders or a 3-ring binder with dividers. There are several ways you can organize your classwork:
- Make one binder for Tuesday/Thursday classes and one for Mon/Wed/Friday classes, and label dividers within each binder according to the class.
- Make one binder per class and label it accordingly. Then, label dividers within the binder according to the exam (exam 1, exam 2, etc.) and place your lecture notes where they belong according to the exam they will appear on.
- If you don't like binders, you can organize them with folders. The advantage of folders is that you will carry around less paper each day. Get a file folder for each class, then get a pocket folder for each exam within the class (don't forget to label them with a permanent marker or sticker), and keep all of the lectures for the exam in their respective folder. When you finish an exam, store its pocket folder in the file folder for later use.
Organization & Time Management Resources
Fueling
Food Basics
Keep in mind that the energy needs of athletes are greater than the average person. It's not uncommon for male and female athletes, especially those still growing, to have caloric needs greater than 2,400-3,000 kcal and 2,200-2,700 kcal per day, respectively. Making sure you are eating enough high-quality calories will help you recover from injury, recover from practice, fuel for competition/practice, and avoid adverse health consequences of improper fueling. Food and diet are complex, and every athlete has different food preferences. However, here are some of the basics about athlete fueling.
Macronutrients
**When planning meals, try to include something from each macronutrient category
- Carbohydrates (4kcal/gram) – This is an important fuel source for athletes. Carbohydrates provide more energy per unit of oxygen. In athletics, oxygen is frequently a limiting factor in long-duration or high-endurance events. When the body processes carbohydrates, it stores the energy as glycogen in the muscles, so the body can access it easily when it needs the energy!
- Examples of carbohydrates: fruit, oatmeal, potatoes, bananas, squash, broccoli, leafy greens, bread, cereal, rice
- Protein (4kcal/gram): - This is important for muscle building and repair! Consuming protein after athletic events has been shown to support muscle protein synthesis. However, more is not always better when it comes to protein. The body can only process a certain amount, with excess protein being broken down and stored as fat. It is recommended that endurance athletes eat 1.2 -1.4 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day and resistance and strength-trained athletes can eat as much as 1.2 – 1.7 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day. Researchers have estimated that immediately after a workout, eating about 20-25 g of a high-quality protein will help build muscles, with any more than this being used elsewhere in the body. Weight does matter, with researchers breaking down a maximum protein intake as 0.4 g/kg/meal.
- Examples of protein -eggs, tuna, chicken, string cheese, fish, hummus, red meats
- Healthy Fat (9kcal/gram): For moderate exercise, about half of the athlete’s energy comes from fat. In athletic endeavors lasting more than one hour, the body uses mainly fat for its energy. Restricting fat intake can hurt athletic performance. Fat is high in calories and should be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet. For athletes, fat should bake up about 20% of their total energy intake each day.
More About Fueling
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals found in the foods we eat, except Vitamin D, which the skin synthesizes using sunlight. These micronutrients are essential for health, well-being, and development. It is important to pay attention to these micronutrients as you choose macronutrient foods for meals and snacks, to make sure you are covering all of your bases. When fueling, try to get the most bang for your buck by choosing macronutrient groups that also have micronutrient value. For example, a donut is a carbohydrate that will give you fast energy, but it has little micronutrient value. However, a banana is a carbohydrate that will also give you fast energy, but it is packed with potassium, Vitamin B
6, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. In other words, by choosing a banana for fueling, you are "killing two birds with one stone" by getting your carbohydrates and an array of micronutrients. Micronutrients are one reason that a colorful, varied diet made up of unprocessed food is a rule-of-thumb recommendation for nutrition. Iron deficiency is the leading cause of Anemia, which is when the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to its tissues. Having Anemia will make athletes feel tired and low-energy, which damages their ability to perform.
- Vitamin A is important for eyesight and a healthy immune system. Having healthy amounts of Vitamin A helps athletes stay illness-free.
- Vitamin D comes from sun exposure. People living in the north, and especially people of color, need to take vitamin D supplements or eat vitamin D-fortified food in the winter months to keep their levels up.
- Vitamin D is important for bone mineral density and bone strength because it enables calcium absorption in the body. Vitamin D is also necessary for nerve and muscle functions and promotes immune system function.
- Iodine can be found in iodized salt. Iodine is used to make thyroid hormones and is important for brain and bone development.
- Zinc is helpful for immune functions, helping athletes to resist infectious diseases.
- Calcium is a structural component of the bones and teeth. Consuming enough calcium will help athletes avoid loss of bone mineral density, which will help prevent stress fracture. Calcium is also necessary for muscle contraction and nerve transmission.
More about micronutrients and where to find them:
More About Food Basics:
Hydration
Proper hydration is important for sports performance. Everyone sweats a different amount, so hydration should be approached on an individual basis. Try these suggestions and find a hydration plan that works best for you. For athletes, a general rule of thumb is to consume a minimum of:
- 8 oz of fluids per hour before the competition
- Four to six oz of fluid every 15 minutes of exercise
To prepare for an athletic event (practice or competition), athletes should drink
5 to 7 mL of water per kilogram of body mass about four hours before the event. During the event, the athlete should drink chilled water or electrolyte drinks, drinking enough to match their sweat losses. To determine how much you should drink, try weighing yourself before and after an athletic event to calculate your loss of water weight. For
every pound of weight lost during the event, replace it with 16-24 oz of fluid. You should never gain water weight during an event - that means you are drinking too much, which can cause electrolyte imbalances and other consequences.
More About Hydration
Planning Meals
Planning meals and snacks ahead of time will help you fuel properly and save time and money. If you have a goal to improve your nutrition, planning ahead is a good way to set yourself up for success. Here are some tips for planning ahead.
- Plan 2-3 meals at the beginning of the week before you go grocery shopping. This will reduce the amount of time you spend going to the store during the week, and limit fast-food runs that happen when you feel hungry but there's nothing to eat at home.
- Plan a few healthy snacks for the week before you go grocery shopping. There are plenty of healthy snacks that have a long shelf life, such as crackers, tuna, nuts, jerky, granola bars, nut butter, and dried fruit. Having snacks ready in your cupboard will help you save money on purchasing coffee shop scones and other convenience snacks.
- Block out a time each week to do meal prep. Your meal prepping may include planning a few meals and buying groceries for them, organizing or preparing ingredients to cook later, or cooking meals ahead of time. Find what works best for you and your meal preferences.
- Go to the grocery store with a list. This will help you save money by resisting impulse-buys, and save time by limiting your forgotten-items grocery store runs.
- Eat a snack before going to the grocery store. Being hungry at the grocery store will influence the amount and type of food you choose to buy. You may buy less healthy food, or expensive convenience food if your brain is clouded with hunger. Having a snack beforehand will help you stick to your list.
- Pack snacks for class. Grab a snack from the fueling station after practice or pack some of your own snacks in your backpack. This way, you will have a healthy option on hand if you get hungry during class.
- Bring a water bottle to class. Staying hydrated throughout the day will help you perform better in the classroom and in athletics.
- Plan ahead for eating on the road. If you are leaving town for a competition, you will mostly be eating out. Pack some healthy snacks and go to restaurants with a plan. Try to choose meals that include all three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat, and have some micronutrient value.
- Everything in moderation. It would be unreasonable to perfectly plan out every meal and snack each week, or to eat 100% "clean." It is good to treat yourself, and enjoying food is a natural and healthy thing. Try to eat food that you enjoy, and plan ahead to make sure your body is getting the fuel it needs.
More About Planning:
Nutrition Handbooks
Nutrition & Mental Health
Suggestions about eating and the benefits of healthy food are outlined here in terms of mental health. Remember that moderation is key. These are not rules, they are guidelines. Please also keep in mind that food supports health and athletic performance in many other ways such as muscle growth, energy availability, and bone health. Experts say these nutritional guidelines support optimal mental health:
- Eat MORE fruits and vegetables, and LESS french fries, fast food, and sugar. This diet change is associated with lower mental illness prevalence.
- Eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day will give the body much-needed vitamins and minerals, preventing brain cell damage.
- Refined, processed foods give the brain little nutritional value. Filling up on these empty calories deprives the brain of the nutrition it needs, which limits its ability to protect itself from damage. This contributes to brain tissue injury, which negatively impacts mental health.
- Limit highly refined/processed foods.
- People with diets high in refined/processed foods are more likely to experience depression when compared to individuals with higher-quality diets.
- A highly processed, high-carb diet stokes inflammation. Inflammation in the brain can interfere with signaling in the brain and cause harm to brain cells.
- Foods that have been processed in some way and are no longer "whole" are considered refined. White wheat flour is refined because the bran and germ were taken away during processing (giving it a white color), and whole wheat flour is "whole" because it includes the entire wheat kernel and all of its nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fiber). There are levels of processing, from minimally processed to highly processed. Here is more information about navigating processed food in a way that best supports your mental health.
- Eat whole carbohydrates such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat flour, and vegetables.
- These "whole" carbs have a low glycemic index, so they release energy slowly to the brain.
- The quick bursts of energy and subsequent "crashes" associated with high glycemic index foods such as refined sugars and flour (donuts, cookies, chips, soda, etc.) contribute to mood swings and can increase incidences of anxiety and depression.
- Eating "whole" carbs helps the brain to produce chemicals that give you a sense of well-being, such as serotonin (the "happy" chemical)
- Incorporate lean protein into your diet. Lean protein helps to nourish the brain while protecting it from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to free radical production, which can cause cell damage.
- Lean protein examples: fish, beans, lentils, eggs, pork loin, bison, shrimp, cottage cheese, yogurt, tofu, chicken, etc.
- Incorporate fiber and probiotics into your diet. Consume whole grains, legumes (beans), nuts, seeds, and probiotics (found in yogurt, kombucha, pickles, etc.)
- A healthy gut supports mental health. Serotonin (the "happy" chemical) is produced in the GI tract. Its production depends on healthy amounts of good bacteria and fiber. Mood-regulating neurotransmitters cannot be produced or travel effectively to the brain without a healthy gut.
- Consume healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. Look for omega-3 fatty acids - this nutrient is very important for brain health.
- The brain has one of the highest levels of fat compared to other organs in the body, and fatty acids will help fuel the brain. Myelin sheaths that protect neural axons are made up of lipids, which enable signals to be sent from neuron to neuron. This is why fat is such an important part of brain health.
- Omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish such as clams, mussels, and oysters) also help to reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation can hinder mental well-being and reduce immune system function. Inflammation in the brain can hinder brain cells and signaling patterns, so reducing this inflammation is an important part of mental health.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
According to the NCAA, more than 34% (172,000) of all student-athletes are self-identified racial-ethnic minority student-athletes. Getting involved in diversity and inclusion events on campus is important for athletes of all identities to find support and facilitate a welcoming and inclusive culture at MSUB.
Safe Zone Training
Safe Zone is to promote an inviting and inclusive environment that is emotionally and physically safe for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff. Members of Safe Zone consist of a team of interdisciplinary staff, faculty, and students within the university who are committed to raising awareness and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community through education, training, and support. The Safe Zone symbol identifies members throughout the community and indicates these individuals provide a safe place to talk and/or seek support.
Upcoming trainings are TBD if you are interested in training for your team or coaching staff please reach out to the Safe Zone team at
safezone@msubillings.edu.
Get Involved
- MSUB Events Calendar
- LGBQT+ Group: Out at MSUB Facebook Group
- All Nations Indian Club: This group is to assist Indian students in their adjustment to college life, to promote better scholastic ability through encouragement to other students to attend a college, to foster pride in the racial and cultural heritage of the American Indian, and to encourage participation in social activities. Also, to help build a bond with Native American culture and Native community as well as produce an annual Pow Wow.
- Multicultural Club: The purpose of this club is to bring different cultures, languages, and people together to build relationships between international students and non-international students.
- Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SACC): The purpose of the MSUB SAAC is to advise and provide input to the Athletics administrative staff into the operation of the Yellowjacket Athletics program. NCAA Division II Bylaw 2.2.6 states, “It is the responsibility of each member institution to involve student-athletes in matters that affect their lives.” Involvement in the SAAC helps us implement this principle.
Resources
Suicide Prevention
Promoting Performance
Promoting Optimal Performance
Psychological “Flow” is a technical term for being “in the zone”. This is when the athlete is truly playing in the here and now or “tunnel-vision that improves athletic performance. When athletes experience “flow they are so focused on what they are doing and so present in the moment, it’s as if they are in their own world. As a coach you, have seen athletes in the flow and likely felt it yourself. Athletes perform their best when in the flow, and often enjoy the experience more.
Encouraging athletes to be present in the moment during the competition can help them achieve psychological flow. Research has demonstrated the importance of relaxation for entering a state of flow. To achieve flow, athletes also need to have high perceptions of their skill level and an appropriate balance of challenge.
The Power of Words
The words you say to your athletes, and the words they say to themselves, greatly influence their performance. As a coach, you talk to your athletes all the time. Coaches do meetings with athletes, pep-talks, discussions, lectures, and more. You strategize with them, motivate them, teach them everything you know, and cheer them on. Your words have the power to inspire the athletes or stress them out. Coaches are only human, and nobody expects you to always have the perfect thing to say. However, here are some tips on how to help athletes perform with the language you use.
Positive Self-Talk
Positive self-talk has been shown to influence the learning of sports skills, the performance of sport accuracy tasks, the performance of tasks that involve strength and power, and the performance in endurance sports. A 2019 study analyzed the relationship between positive and negative self-talk and physical performance among athletes. Researchers asked athletes to write positive statements and record them on their phones. Then, they were asked to either "nod" or "shake" their head to agree or disagree with the positive statements they had written. Physical performance was then assessed using a vertical-jump task, a squat test, and a dead-lift task. Researchers found that "nodding" to the positive self-statements led to better performance than shaking the head to the positive self-statements in 2 out of 3 physical tasks. As a coach, you can encourage the athletes to use positive self-talk, and you can incorporate positive statements into your pep talks and casual conversations to help the athletes internalize these statements.
- Instructional Self-Talk: instructional self-talk is when we guide ourselves through a specific task. These are specific statements about how to perform the task, broken down into steps. This could be learning a new skill or mentally preparing to do a precise action, like shooting a free throw. Research has shown that instructional self-talk is most beneficial for precision-type tasks and at the learning level. Instructional self-talk can be used before or during practice, and in sports like basketball, field events, and volleyball that require precise motor patterns.
Example: "See the hoop…lift the ball…lock your eyes on the hoop…bend your knees... and shoot."
- Motivational Self-Talk: motivational self-talk is when we psych ourselves up for something that is going to be difficult. This is telling ourselves how prepared we are, that we can do this, to take a deep breath, to focus, or to own the court. It is intended to increase confidence and effort as we go into the task. Research has shown that motivational self-talk was most beneficial for endurance-type sports and at competition levels. Endurance athletes, such as runners may need more motivational self-talk than instructional. These athletes have one clear goal, and instruction could block them from focusing on their goal. Motivational self-talk can therefore be used before tough endurance-based practices, or in all sports before a competition.
Example: "You have been training for this event for years...you have done the work...this is your time...you can do this!
- Sample positive self-talk statements:
- I own this.
- This is going to be a good learning opportunity for me.
- I am a human, not a machine. (This can be helpful for recovery from perceived failure)
- I have the skills I need to compete today.
- I feel mentally strong, and I can keep a positive attitude throughout this competition.
- I am a warrior.
- I can stay focused under pressure.
- Self-Talk Resources
Mental Health Conversations
Supporting Athletes
*Inspired by the Mental Health First Aid USA Adult Training
Helpful Actions
- Listen to your intuition
- If you think an athlete 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 the athlete.
- Approach them privately
- Be honest and transparent
- It’s okay to say “I’ve noticed you seem withdrawn from 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 the athlete has to say.
- Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can do is listen.
- Don’t interrupt
- Make good eye contact
- Try to normalize/validate their experience.
- It is okay to ask them if they have considered suicide – 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.
- If they are not considering suicide, they will simply reassure you that they are not at risk
- Person-first language: avoid saying “committing suicide” or “Are you suicidal?”
- Instead say “thinking of suicide” or “attempted suicide”
- Refer them to resources (you can even offer to go with them if they need support)
- National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text): 988
- Local mental health agency number: 406-252-5658 (Mental Health Center)
- MSUB Student Health Services M-F 8:00-5:00; 406-657-2153
- Danny Desin, CMPC, sports psychologist: desin@mtpeakperformance.com, (406) 794-2048
- Emergency line: 911
- Encourage self-care
- Offer Assistance
- Treat an athlete who is struggling with mental health challenges the same way you would treat an athlete who is physically ill. You could get together and send them flowers, have one-on-one practice, or sign a card.
Unhelpful Actions
- Becoming too involved
- You are not your athlete’s therapist: you generally aren’t trained to provide therapy, so don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself.
- Forcing them to get help: it’s ultimately their choice to get help or not, and there is no need to frog-march them to CPS.
- Invalidating their distress by saying things like “Everyone gets sad sometimes”, “just think of all the people who are worse off than you”, or “You’re being a little dramatic.”
- Promising confidentiality
- Don’t promise athletes confidentiality, because if they are a danger to themselves or 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.”
Reducing Mental Health Stigma
Mental health stigma is perhaps the most common barrier to seeking mental health care. Coaches play a key role in addressing stigma, through facilitating education about mental health, encouraging athletes to seek help, and opening the conversations about mental health. Another way to reduce mental health stigma is to keep an eye on the language that they use.
- Avoid words with Negative Connotations
- Words with negative connotations can influence athlete’s attitudes about mental health and mental illness. For example:
- Crazy
- Psycho
- Nuts
- Lunatic
- Use Person-First Language
- Using person-first emphasizes the individual in the sentence, rather than the diagnosis.
- NOT Person-First
- Homeless man
- She is anxious
- The schizophrenics
- Person-First Language
- A man without a home
- She is experiencing anxiety
- People with schizophrenia
Signs of Distress
Overview
If you feel that there are signs of distress for your student-athlete trust your intuition. To support their mental health, observe the athlete for signs of distress and engage them in conversation about how they are doing.
Warning Signs of Distress:
- Withdrawal from friends, teammates, or activities
- Agitation or difficulty appearing calm
- Seeming to be down, sad, or having low energy
- Significant changes in eating behavior, sleep, and/or substance abuse
- Substantial weight loss or weight gain
- Making critical statements about oneself, one’s value, and/or one’s body shape, size, or weight
- Expressions of hopelessness
- Violent/Irritable behavior
- Changes in personal hygiene
- Other concerning behaviors or statements
- Difficulty following instructions, difficulty getting along with peers, not caring anymore, etc.
Verbal De-escalation
Agitation and distress are not a diagnosis, it is a symptom. It can be triggered by stress or traumatic events. It can also be triggered among people with mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar if their treatment is not working properly.
Symptoms of Agitation
- Mild – Moderate
- Pulling/picking at hair, skin, or clothing
- Unconscious movement (fidgeting, pacing, hand wringing)
- Outbursts
- Shuffling feet
- Clenching fists
- Severe
- Excitement
- Hostility
- Poor impulse control
- Uncooperative
- Violent/disruptive behavior
De-Escalation Techniques
There are 3 parts to verbal de-escalation:
- The Coach in Control of Him/Herself
- Appear calm, centered, and self-assured even though you feel a fight/flight/freeze response. Take a deep breath. Relax facial muscles and pretend you are confident. Just like your emotions changed in response to the athlete's agitation, showing anxiety can make them feel anxious and unsafe which can escalate aggression.
- Use a modulated, low monotonous tone of voice (our normal tendency is to have a high-pitched, tight voice when scared).
- If you have time, remove necktie, scarf, hanging jewelry, and religious or political symbols before you confront the person (not in front of him/her)
- Do NOT be defensive: even if the comments or insults are directed at you, they are not about you - remember, there are other things going through their head that led them to this state. Do not defend yourself or anyone else from insults, curses, or misconceptions about their roles.
- Be aware of any resources available for backup and crisis response procedures. This may be other coaches and staff, or 911 depending on the situation.
- Be very respectful even when setting limits or calling for help. Avoid danger by treating them with dignity and respect. If the athlete is agitated, they will likely be sensitive to feeling shamed and disrespected. We do not want them to feel like they need to show us that they must be respected - this can be a dangerous situation, and they may do something regrettable.5
- Physical Stance
- Never turn your back for any reason
- Always be at the same eye level. This is not possible if they are taller than you, but the main thing is to not stand "towering" over the athlete. This can be scary to them because it demonstrates dominance.
- Encourage the person to be seated, but if they need to stand, you stand up also to stay at the same eye level.
- Make extra physical space between you, about four times greater than usual.
- DO NOT stand in full front to the person. Stand at an angle so you can sidestep away if they become violent.
- DO NOT maintain constant eye contact. Let the person look away from time to time because constant eye contact can come across as invasive or dominant.
- DO NOT point or shake your finger. This will only escalate the situation because it seems accusatory.
- DO NOT smile. The athlete may think you are mocking them.
- DO NOT touch. Even if some touching is normally appropriate on your team and in the setting. People experiencing agitation (especially anger) may misinterpret physical touch as hostile or threatening. Plus, you wouldn't be maintaining your distance if you physically touched them.
- Keep hands out of your pockets. This non-verbally shows them you are an ally. You may also need your hands for protection if things get violent.
- DO NOT be defensive or judgmental.5
- De-Escalation Discussion
- Remember that there is no content except trying to calmly bring the level of anger down to a safer place.
- DO NOT get loud or try to yell over a screaming person. This will only make matters worse. Keep your low, monotonous voice. Wait until they take a breath; then talk.
- Respond selectively; answer all informational questions no matter how rudely they ask them. "Why do I have to do this g-d practice?" (This is a real information-seeking question). DO NOT answer abusive questions. "Why are all coaches (an insult?)" No response should be given to questions like this. They are not informative questions. Ignore abusive questions.
- Explain boundaries in an authoritative, firm, but respectful tone. Give choices where possible in which both are safe options. "Would you like to continue our discussion calmly or would you prefer to stop now and talk tomorrow before practice when things can be more relaxed?"
- Empathize with feelings but not with the behavior. "I understand that you have every right to feel angry, but it is not okay for you to treat myself or your teammates this way."
- DO NOT ask how a person is feeling or interpret feelings in an analytic way.
- DO NOT argue or try to convince. Remember: it is not possible to reason with an agitated person - that will come later.
- When you can, tap into the person's "thinking" mode: DO NOT ask "Tell me how you feel." Obviously, they feel upset. Instead: "Help me to understand what you are saying to me" People are not attacking you while they are teaching you what they want you to know.
- Suggest alternative behaviors where appropriate. "Would you like to take a break and have a cup of water?" "Would you like to take a deep breath together?"
- Give the consequences of inappropriate behavior in a non-threatening way. "Choosing to hit a teammate may result in legal implications."
- Trust your instincts. You will know if your technique is working within 2-3 minutes. If you assess or feel that de-escalation is not working, STOP! Get help, and follow a crisis response plan.
- More de-escalation resources
- Training Opportunities
- Mental Health First Aid: MHFA is an 8–hour training on mental health literacy, developed in Australia and adapted for the American culture. MHFA prepares participants to respond to greater knowledge, confidence, and compassion when an adult is experiencing a mental health problem or crisis. The NCAA is promoting this training.
- Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention
Risk Factors
Risk Factors
Mental health challenges can occur due to interactions between the athlete’s genetic makeup and various environmental factors. Risk factors are parts of the person’s environment that can increase their risk for mental illness. Risk factors do not cause mental illness: rather they can put the person at an increased risk for mental illness. Certain stressors involved in the athletic experience commonly impact mental well-being and/or trigger mental health challenges. Risk factor awareness will help coaches to refer athletes to appropriate resources. Developing awareness about how stressors impact mental well-being can also. Help coaches to better understand behavior and performance changes resulting from a stressor in the athlete’s life.
Athletic Injuries
The psychological impact of an injury can include isolation from teammates, low motivation, depression, loss of confidence, loss of identity, worry about returning to pre-injury level of competition, and performance decrement. Injuries can trigger depression and other problematic responses such as alterations of appetite, sleep disturbances, irritability, disorder eating, sadness leading to depression, lack of motivation leading to apathy, disengagement leading to alienation, pain behaviors, excessive anger or rage, frequent crying or emotional outburst, and substance abuse.
Loss of Relationships
Research shows that college students endorse a breakup as one of the most significant non-death-related loss events in the past 12 months. Often, these non-death-related losses, though exceptionally painful and challenging, are prone to be invalidated, minimized, and disregarded by others. Invalidating and minimizing someone else’s pain makes it more painful. If you hear that an athlete has experienced the loss of a friendship or romantic partner, it is important to understand the athlete’s pain and validate it. There is no need to get too involved in the athlete’s personal life. Rather show them you care and encourage them to get the help they need.
Transitions
Times of transition are difficult because the athlete faces the unknown and experiences a disruption in their routine. When an athlete is going through a transition, their need for support with change. It is important to show that you care, refer them to resources if needed, and encourage them to find a routine in their life to keep them grounded. Here are some transition examples.
- From competing in high school to the collegiate level. This transition can result in reduced playing time or reduced roles on the team. It can create stress or a negative view of oneself, especially if the athlete's identity is defined by success in their sport.
- Transition out of college sports. Preparing for this transition and going through it are both difficult. Exploring career options outside of athletics can be difficult due to busy schedules and the fear that coaches may view them as less committed if they explore career options outside of professional sports. They also may experience a loss of identity and isolation when they leave athletics.
- Change of role on the team. When the athlete is no longer on the traveling team, loses their scholarship, or spends more time on the bench, these changes can be mentally challenging. The athlete may be experiencing stressors such as perceived failure, identity loss, and/or pressure to improve their performance.
- Conflict-related housing change. When roommates "break up," the athlete may be experiencing loss of friendships, relationship stress, isolation, and the stress of finding a place to live and moving there.
- Transferring between universities. The athlete may experience disruptions in routines, social isolation, change of major, change of athletic culture, and/or difficulty with developing a new support system.
Health Habits
Nutrition, sleep, exercise, social participation, and self-care are important mental health factors. Encouraging athletes to develop health habits around sleep, substance use, eating, and social participation will help the athletes avoid several mental illness risk factors. These health habits will be positive for their performance mentally and physically. These habits will also help set them up for positive mental health outcomes throughout their future.
