Mental health in the Australian Football League information
Mental health refers to a person's mental state, well-being,[1] and ability to cope with the daily stresses of life.[2] Good mental health also means that one has the ability to be mentally resilient, have a good life balance, having an absence of mental disorders and the ability to enjoy life.[3] Elite athletes such as those competing in the Australian Football League(AFL), are at higher risk of developing a mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks and eating disorders.[4] 16–34 years olds are also in the high risk category, which is the average age of a football player and extends to those who are being drafted,[5] this puts AFL players in both high risk categories.[6] A study conducted by Helen Christensen and Alison Parsons showed that 1 in 5 elite athletes suffered depressive symptoms.[6] Playing elite sports is a great challenge emotionally, mentally as well as physically,[7] some players can cope with all of these pressures while others cannot handle it and therefore suffer from a lack of mental health.
Australian rules football is a physically demanding and mentally draining, especially for the professional players in the AFL. Many are looked at as super human like characters who bare no mental scars, getting paid to play 'footy'. However, with living and playing in the spotlight of success hungry clubs and fans, comes expectation of consistent performances whilst juggling the life of being a regular human being and they are faced with the same mental health issues such as depression, as many other ordinary citizens. Depression effects almost 3 million Australians, and is currently the leading cause of non-fatal disabilities in Australia but only 3% of the Australian population regard it as a major health issue.[citation needed] Approximately 1 in 6 men will suffer from depression at some point in their lives,[citation needed] to add to that, depression is also most prevalent in young adults. In 2011, 101 AFL players sought psychological help through the various forums available to them. Many were due to a relocation to a new club or interstate, with the most common age for referral being just 19 years of age.[8] However other provocatives may be injury, lack of form, poor treatment from the general public on social media and the inability to adapt to the life of being a professional athlete. Many players find it hard to adjust to the life which is so heavily scrutinised where their every move is monitored and judged. Players who have admitted and battled depression have stated that it is the lifestyle in which that live and that they hid behind this lifestyle.
^"the definition of mental health". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^"CDC - Mental Health Basics - Mental Health". www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^Sahu, Kiran; Gupta, Deepika (March 2013). "Life skills and mental health". Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing. 4 (1): 76–79. ProQuest 1547799244.
^Gulliver, Amelia; Griffiths, Kathleen M; Christensen, Helen (December 2012). "Barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking for young elite athletes: a qualitative study". BMC Psychiatry. 12 (1): 157. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-12-157. PMC 3514142. PMID 23009161.
^"Manage Your Mind Wellbeing Program". 8 April 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
^ abGulliver, Amelia; Griffiths, Kathleen M.; Mackinnon, Andrew; Batterham, Philip J.; Stanimirovic, Rosanna (May 2015). "The mental health of Australian elite athletes". Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 18 (3): 255–261. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2014.04.006. hdl:1885/14049. PMID 24882147.
^Denny, Katherine G.; Steiner, Hans (March 2009). "External and Internal Factors Influencing Happiness in Elite Collegiate Athletes". Child Psychiatry and Human Development. 40 (1): 55–72. doi:10.1007/s10578-008-0111-z. PMID 18626767. S2CID 22639142.
^Stevens, Mark (13 April 2011). "101 AFL players seek psychological help". news.com.au. Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 16 April 2011.
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