By Drs David Wyndham Lawrence, MD, MPH (@davidwlawrence1) and Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD (@RCarhartHarris) Sports medicine as a discipline is uniquely situated to safely explore, research, adopt, and implement novel and innovative strategies to meet the mental and physical demands of athletes and physically active populations. Significant advances have been made in sports science; including nutrition, training, […]
Tag: Mental Health
Managing the mental pressures of elite sport: learning from Olympic and World Champion Abhinav Bindra
Athlete wellbeing must become the centre of high performance. We can do that through education, through awareness…really inculcating those values at the grassroots level. In this special Athlete Voice edition of the podcast, Olympic and World Champion rifle shooter Abhinav Bindra joins us to chat about managing the mental pressures of elite sport. Recognised […]
Wellbeing in sport for Northern Ireland: National Action Plan 2018-2023
By Dr Gavin Breslin @breslin_g and Dr Paul Donnelly Positive engagement with sport is associated with an array of physical, emotional and psychosocial health benefits (Breslin et al, 2017). Emerging evidence suggests that competitive sport, by nature, can also contribute to poor mental health, in particular when athletes experience insufficient support (Bauman 2016). There is a growing […]
Managing behavioural and mental health outcomes following a traumatic brain injury
By Sadie R. Morway, Zachary K. Winkelmann @zachwinkelmann, Kenneth E. Games @GamesKenneth It is crucial to examine the long-term effects following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in sports medicine. This is especially important for children given the sensitive development of the brain during childhood and the after-effects of TBI on mental wellness and ultimately quality of life.1-2 Understanding the potential […]
The importance of being a sports psychiatrist
By Dr Thomas McCabe @Dr_t_mccabe and Dr Allan Johnston @DrAllanJohnston Over the past year, we’ve seen the media explode over mental health disorders within sporting circles (1-3). High profile athletes describe their struggles and point out the lack of provision for diagnosis and treatment. Campaigns at various levels – local, club, governmental and international continually challenge the lingering […]
The function of fun: cycling reduces PTSD symptoms in a group of high-risk adolescent involved in a community cycling programme
By Sue Lawrence RN Phd One-to-One Israel funds a cycling programme for youth that have experienced home and political instability, and are supported by social services. Our (me,the Centre of Abuse and Trauma Studies and One-to-One Israel) research mission is to prove that sports improve post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms for these young people. Our research We developed […]
Improving health, step by step: physical activity for severe mental illness in the Netherlands
By Jeroen Deenik @jdeenik, MSc At GGz Centraal, the centre for mental healthcare with different clinics in the middle of the Netherlands, we have two psychiatric hospitals where people with severe mental illness can stay for a longer period of time. The majority of patients are diagnosed with schizophrenia or related psychotic disorders, while others […]
Mental health of elite young athletes: spot and support them before it’s too late
Undergraduate perspective on Sport & Exercise Medicine – a BJSM blog series By Johnson Pok-Him Tam (@tamph4) and Manroy Sahni (@manroysahni) Elite sport is results driven. Each generation of new athletes is pushing themselves to new limits, to reach new heights and eclipse records set by their predecessors. But what impact can this constant cauldron of pressure […]
Mental health in professional football: compromised care and strategies for change
By Andrea Scott-Bell Aaron Lennon’s Sectioning under the Mental Health Act on May 2nd is the latest addition to the list of professional footballers experiencing mental health difficulties. The day after news broke of Lennon’s detention, the PFA claimed that mental health issues among footballers were on the rise, with 160 reported cases in the previous […]
Assessing the Mental Health of the NFL: Bullying, hazing and workplace harassment at the Miami Dolphins
By Ian R Tofler BJSM readers, curious scientists and sports enthusiasts all, must be interested in the inner workings of the American National Football League (NFL) and its politically astute iron fisted chief executive Roger Goodell. The NFL, despite setbacks regarding the taboo concussion/CTE scandal; large financial payouts, and players ending up in jail, has […]