Mental Health Awareness

Strategies to assist in stress management:

Become aware of the source of your distress:

1. • If your stress is from an injury, try talking about it with your athletic trainer. Educate yourself on how your rehab exercises are going to help you return to normal function. Pain is common in athletics, but not all pain is "bad". Pain can be your body's way of alerting you that you have hit a new limit (you have placed new demands on your muscles, and feel dull achy soreness in your muscles), that you're technique is off (elbow pain can be a sign that you are "sidearming" throws for example), that your shoes are losing their structural support... pain is the way that our bodies protect themselves. Pain that is experienced in conjunction with a "pop, snap or crack" may warrant some concern. This is especially true if the pain does not subside in a short period of time and ultimately affects your sport performance. In all cases, it is important to remember that pain is our body's way of protecting itself. Pain that becomes persistent, even without an acute injury that you can remember, should be addressed with your athletic trainer. Sometimes all it takes is a simple stretch to get your body feeling right! Use pain as a guide to help you make a more educated decision when it comes to taking a break or seeking medical care.

   • If the source of your stress is related to balancing your academics and the demands of your sport, seek out help from your guidance counselor. They can help direct you to the best resources to assist you. This can include study strategies, time management strategies, or setting up after school review sessions.

   • If there are issues in your personal and home life that are contributing to your stress level, find a trusted source to speak to about it. Sometimes, all you need is to vocalize your experience and be validated by someone you trust. At MCSD, you have access to a school counselors and student assistance counselor.

Outlook Modification

1. • Change the story that you tell yourself. How would you talk to a friend who is experiencing the same thing that you are? Most likely, you would show them kindness, understanding, and forgiveness. Extend the same courtesy to yourself! Replace "I am no good at this. I bet no one even wants me on the team" with "I am working hard every day to prove myself to my teammates and coaches. I love to hang out with my teammates during practice." Utilize positive self-talk. This technique can improve your overall mindset by influencing your behaviors and motivation. Replace vocabulary with "I can" or "I will." This form of positive self-talk creates motivation within yourself to manage a difficult task.

   • Imagery is another tool that can help you visualize yourself completing the task ahead. It may be helpful to recall a time when you were successful or performing at your best. Try to remember the emotions you experienced and channel that mindset into what you are currently trying to overcome.

   • Goal setting is very important. Start with a small, achievable goal. The little successes will motivate you and help you recognize your own achievements. Try setting a weekly goal and track your progress.

Give yourself some time to take it all in. No one expects you to wake up the day after a serious injury with a completely positive outlook. It is okay to take time to process.

Form a plan. Speak with your athletic trainer on how you should proceed, which healthcare providers you should see, and what your timeline and prognosis is.

Seek out a trusted friend or family member to talk about your feelings. Sometimes, it may be helpful to speak with a professional.

Self-care. Sometimes, you need to give yourself a break. Take a walk, take a bath, read a book, zone out for a while... Spend time with loved ones. Take care of yourself emotionally, and treat yourself with kindness.

When Should We Refer Psychological Concerns?

Signs and Symptoms

• Problems with concentration

• Changes in eating habits (over eating/under eating)

• Unable to complete tasks

• Feeling sad, empty, hopeless or worthless

• Irritability and restlessness

• Loss of interest in activities that were once previously enjoyed

• Withdrawn or disconnected

• Changes in energy level or sleep patterns

• Stop caring about personal appearance/hygiene

Signs and Symptoms that Should be Addressed Immediately

• Thoughts or plans of killing or hurting yourself or others

• Hearing voices or seeing things that no one else can hear or see

• Unexplained changes in thinking, speech or writing

• Being overly suspicious or fearful

• Serious drop in school performance

• Sudden personality changes that are bizarre or out of character

• Feeling "detached" or "out of your body"