If you’re an athlete, you’re likely familiar with the mental toughness associated with sports. You begin to feel the burn in your legs, arms, lungs, but there is no giving up mid-workout. “Tough it out,” or “suck it up” are common phrases among coaches, and you begin to repeat it to yourself. When things get tough, you don’t show it, you power through because that’s what you’ve been conditioned to do for so long. Persistence and resolve are wonderful qualities to possess. However, sometimes as athletes we live inside our own minds. We don’t bow to the pain during training, we don’t tell our coach that we’ve done as much as we can handle. So when our mental health begins to suffer, it may not seem okay to share with anyone the pain we are feeling.Whether troubled by body image, relationships, peer pressure, anxiety, depression, or anything else, it’s okay to not be okay! You’re not alone, and UB has phenomenal support for you.
UB’s resources for mental health counseling are excellent. Here at UB, we have a great Counseling Center for the entire student body. They do a health assessment just like in a doctor’s office, then they pair you with the counselor that they think is the best match. Some athletes are nervous to utilize this tool, feeling much safer closer to Alumni Arena. For them, we have the incredible Kellie Pieper, a Sports Psychologist who can help work out a plan for managing stress in any realm of the student-athlete’s life. People who can effectively manage stress tend to be the most successful, so learning these skills from KP is indescribably useful for present and future endeavors.
For those who would feel more peace of mind being a few pounds lighter, UB provides a Wellness Service office that has healthy snack recipes, stress management tips, and a whole treasure trove more of useful information and services. Also available on campus are nutritionists who can assess an athlete’s current body composition and collaborate on a plan to reach a healthy weight goal with the athlete.
While the added pressures of more commitments can increase stress levels, responsibility and leadership can also help us stay healthy mentally. The SAAC E-Board weighed in on how their positions and involvement help their mental health. President Liz Scott shared that the meaningful work she does in her role has helped to keep her mind off of more stressful parts of life. The friendship and teamwork provides her with a stable support system. For myself, being the SAAC Vice President has taught me that it is a strength, as opposed to a weakness, to reach out for help when it is needed. Being in a more individual sport of track, I am used to the mindset of me versus the watch, or me versus everybody else. As VP, it is essential to trust others and ask them for help when there is too much work for myself to handle alone. Realizing that I have so many people willing to graciously encourage me and lend a hand whenever I need it eases daily stresses immensely. The AFA and Community service aspects of SAAC create unity and a sense of belonging, as well as the very cliche yet accurate assessment that helping others improves mood and self esteem.
Some of the most important things to remember are that whatever you are feeling, you are not alone in those feelings, and that there are plenty of people who are more than happy to help you work through those emotions and challenges. Athletes are tough, they are fighters. Together, we can fight mental illness and treat those who contract it.
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