Mental Health Awareness Month: The Relationship Between Mental Health and Athletic Performance 

In recognition of Psychological Well being Consciousness Month and along side the launch of Tennis Canada’s revamped Mental Timeout Initiative supported by Beneva, we spoke with Dr. Sommer Christie, a Licensed Psychological Efficiency Guide for Tennis Canada, to place collectively a four-part article collection concerning the significance of psychological well being, each in tennis and in life.

It’s well-documented that there are nonetheless many misconceptions about psychological sickness and the way it impacts every particular person. The reality is that folks can nonetheless be extremely useful in each side of their on a regular basis life even with a prognosis. In sports activities, the state of an athlete’s psychological well being doesn’t all the time negatively impression their efficiency though it actually can and that solely provides to the stigma whereas additionally discouraging them from being open about their struggles. Even when an athlete can carry out to their potential with psychological well being points similar to Andre Agassi did for thus lengthy, that doesn’t imply they’re completely satisfied or have the mandatory assist to assist them by means of difficult instances. Maybe they’re merely going by means of the motions with out getting any actual enjoyment from their craft.

READ: MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH: DEVELOPING A CHAMPION’S MENTALITY

Dr. Sommer Christie explains that tennis isolates its high gamers as a person sport and creates a sense of loneliness which may be damaging to their psychological well being. It’s all-consuming and doesn’t permit for a well-balanced life-style. The pressures of competitors are completely different because the athletes are enjoying for factors and prize cash at a younger age. Plus, they have to determine whether or not to show professional early on and it’s typically a choice they aren’t able to make.

Christie stresses the significance of not forcing psychological abilities and psychological toughness on younger gamers. It’s essential for fogeys and coaches to debate losses, what may be discovered from the expertise, and the way they will get higher.

“Coaches discover ways to appropriate errors. You’re doing this mistaken is the default setting,” mentioned Christie. “But when they’re not seeing what’s going effectively and persevering with to work on their strengths, they’re in the end simply figuring out that they did one thing mistaken. It’s essential to additionally reinforce what they do proper to assist their development mindset. Coaches want to permit for educating moments in drills and practices.”

Earlier this season throughout an on-court interview on the Miami Open, Bianca Andreescu, who has turn out to be an inspiring mental health advocate since going public together with her struggles, admitted that in the course of the peak of her profession in 2019, she didn’t really feel like she belonged on the high of the ladies’s recreation though her outcomes mentioned in any other case. Christie says that imposter syndrome is all too frequent.

“I can’t inform what number of athletes really feel that approach. Those you least anticipate to really feel that approach completely do as a result of they haven’t been taught to acknowledge their success,” Christie mentioned. “For those who’re solely recognizing what you’re not doing, you’re not centered on what you are able to do. Constructing extra self-awareness is essential. If I say that is what I wish to attain and I hold getting nearer to it, however as a result of perfection is my aim, it retains going away. So, I get higher and higher, however I’m by no means excellent.”

Curing imposter syndrome is about eliminating distorted considering patterns, figuring out irrational ideas, difficult them, after which reframing them to one thing reaffirming and optimistic. Andreescu believing she didn’t belong was an irrational thought that she has managed to flip round in such a approach that she now feels comfy on the court docket and might get pleasure from competing within the highlight once more.

Psychological well being and athletic efficiency are intrinsically linked, however they aren’t all the time depending on each other. Nonetheless, the precise mind set is required to really feel entire each as an individual and as an expert.