Humanizing the Athlete

Written By Amara Smith Speights, ALMFT

As many sports seasons of all levels ramp up and fans show their support from the stands or their living rooms, it is easy to get caught up in all the excitement of the rivalries, clutch plays, and big victories. Once the game concludes, the athletes we admire, support, and criticize are still humans that experience a full range of emotions. They experience happiness, fear, anger, and sadness like anyone else. As a therapist and former athlete, I have come to recognize that athletes carry the physical, mental, and emotional weight of competition each time that they step onto their respective fields. They dedicate their minds and bodies to their sport, which often includes sacrificing their personal time and well-being in their pursuit of excellence. It’s important to take time to look beyond the scoreboard and recognize the mental health struggles that can accompany the physical demands of sport. 

While involvement in sports can bring immense joy, discipline, and fulfillment to athletes, it can also lead to experiences of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. Some factors that contribute to these mental health concerns include the time and physical demands of competition and travel, balancing multiple responsibilities, and intense performance-related pressure from themselves or others (Vanderkruik 2024). Athletes also experience high competition levels, which can lead to increased fear of failure, pressure to meet certain expectations, or worries about letting down their teammates, coaches, or supporters. Athletes experiencing an injury or retirement from their athletic careers can often experience depressive symptoms or anxiety related to their fear of reinjury, loss of identity or sense of isolation (Vanderkruik 2024). In my work with college athletes, we have discussed how NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) continues to evolve and adds pressure to their athletic careers. NIL refers to the rights for college athletes to profit from their personal brand, which allows them to be paid for endorsements, social media posts, and other activities. Furthermore, professional athletes may also deal with issues of privacy, the risk of being traded or released, and the potential impact of sports betting.

When performance becomes the sole focus, athletes can be overwhelmed by stress and burnout. Many may feel that they must live up to unrealistic expectations set by coaches, fans, or themselves. The constant drive for success in addition to a fear of disappointing others can lead to emotional and mental fatigue. Deconstructing Stigma (2025) highlighted that 25% of athletes experience sleep issues, which can affect their performance and ability to focus. This is due to the lack of recovery time in their schedules and the impact of performance-related anxiety. Some athletes tend to follow extreme diets or exercise routines to control their weight, but it can develop into an eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating (Deconstructing Stigma 2025). Stereotypes and harmful language contribute to the development of these disorders because they can create an association between body size and one’s ability to perform well. 

Despite these challenges, the benefits of sports participation are significant. Research on physical activity has associated it with improved mood, reduced stress, and better overall mental health, but the social and emotional benefits of being on a team or in an athletic community can be powerful as well. Eather et al. (2023) found that participation in sports was linked to lower levels of perceived stress, improved vitality, and higher levels of life satisfaction. Athletes reported a stronger sense of identity and belonging, improved self-esteem, and a greater frequency of laughter in their daily lives. Team sports can help foster social connection and community, which are important protective factors against depression and anxiety.

Support for athletes’ mental health requires increased effort from coaches, teammates, and organizations to create an environment where it is safe for athletes to talk about their struggles and seek help without the perceived threat of judgment or punishment. Encouraging open communication and promoting mental health literacy are vital steps towards breaking down the stigma (Deconstructing Stigma 2025). In my experience, I have learned that athletes also need encouragement to maintain balance in their lives. That can look like placing an emphasis on their rest, developing effective self-care routines, exploring new hobbies and taking a break when needed. Education programs, accessible counseling, and team-based mental health initiatives can also be useful to help athletes navigate their mental health journeys. 

As spectators and fans, it is easy for us to focus on the excitement of competition and forget that the athletes are humans too. By making the effort to look beyond the scoreboards, athletes can be better appreciated for their strength, not just in how they play, but in how they persevere. Supporting athlete mental health means fostering community, empathy, open conversations, and balance. When athlete well-being is valued as much as their performance, both the athletes and the sports can truly thrive.

References

Vanderkruik, PhD, R. (2024). The importance of mental health in sports. Mental Health in Sports | Mass General Brigham. https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/the-importance-of-mental-health-in-sports 

Eather, N., Wade, L., Pankowiak, A., & Eime, R. (2023). The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults: A systematic review and the “mental health through sport” conceptual model. Systematic reviews. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10286465/ 

Strength isn’t just physical: Exploring Athletes’ mental health. Athletes and Mental Health: Pressure Behind the Performance. (2025). https://deconstructingstigma.org/guides/athlete-mh

Amara Smith Speights, ALMFT

Amara Smith Speights is an Associate Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (ALMFT) in the state of Illinois. She received her master’s degree in Child, Youth, and Family Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she specialized in marriage and family therapy. She also received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Ethnic Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Amara takes a trauma-informed and collaborative approach to therapy, helping individuals, couples, and families feel empowered and in control of their journey. She values cultural humility, sex positivity, and inclusivity to cultivate an environment where clients feel comfortable expressing and embracing their authentic selves. Amara supports clients in identifying and deconstructing harmful narratives that have been created in relation to their racial/ethnic idenities, sexuality, gender, and other lived experiences. She applies evidence-based approaches like Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, the Gottman Method, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in her practice.

Amara’s work also integrates Dr. Helen Neville’s concept of joy as a form of resistance to the hardships, oppression, and identity-based wounds that clients may be facing. With this, Amara works alongside clients to discover the spaces, people, and activities that can bring joy and deep healing into their lives. 

Outside of therapy, Amara enjoys bowling competitively, traveling the world, trying new restaurants, and going for walks around the city.

“Rarely if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.” - bell hooks

https://www.core-chicago.com/amara-smith-speights

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Moral Emotions and Repair